Directed by YouTuber Markiplier (Mark Fischbach), Iron Lung is a feature-length indie film based on the 2022 video game of the same name. The film centers around the premise that all planets and stars have vanished at once in an event called “The Quiet Rapture.” All that remains are moons and space stations, along with what few humans were on said space stations. One moon, however, stands out for a unique feature: an ocean of blood. To investigate it, a convict named Simon—played by Markiplier—is welded into the titular Iron Lung submarine and offered a deal; Gather information, and in return earn his freedom.
I remember when I had heard that Markiplier was directing a movie based on Iron Lung, I asked myself, what would an Iron Lung movie even be? So, I decided to play the video game to get answers. I walked away with few answers and several more questions. Will the whole movie be in the submarine? Is there a cast of characters? Will the plot be exactly that of the game? For an hour-long linear game, Iron Lung is not exactly brimming with plot. In fact, the intro blurb of this article is nearly all there is (barring a few extra bits of lore). Much to my surprise, the movie sticks very faithfully to that. Where Mark expands however, is the depth (pun intended).
In the video game, what is a simple mechanic of taking pictures of strange under-blood anomalies, the film instead expands into a battle with a finicky camera whose accompanying screen is the only source of light. Mark takes the core atmosphere of the game—hopelessness, fear, claustrophobia, and most of all isolation—and builds out a full image of what this experience would be like. With a runtime of over two hours, it’s certainly a slow-burn at times. But that burn feels very well considered, all in service of immersing you in Simon’s struggle.
The film is filled with shots of low-resolution screens and ailing pipework that are equal parts intimate and suffocating. It’s an incredibly artsy film. It’s clear from watching Iron Lung that Mark is a very excited director who is eager to explore how to best capture a scene. Just about every camera angle feels purposeful in a way that just exudes passion. However, that “just about every” is where some complaints leak in.
While the movie is overall shot very well, the ending has long stretches of time that left me thoroughly confused as to what was exactly happening. Combine the darkness with some chaotic camera movements, and suddenly ten minutes have passed since I felt I had a strong grip on what was going on. On the note of visibility, there are a fair few scenes meant to establish information that move by very fast. While I appreciate the fact that the movie does not feel a need to hold the viewer’s hand through every detail, there were many moments where I would’ve appreciated a few more seconds to read a document before being hoisted back into the plot.
Finally, I think the movie’s length could be a make or break for some. If you’re not enthralled by the cinematography and premise those two hours of run time may drag. To me, it felt like the director’s cut of a movie that could have been ten to fifteen minutes shorter.
All of that aside, I greatly enjoyed my time with Iron Lung. The premise is compelling, and Mark’s additions both in depth and fidelity elevate it into a very unique ride throughout. As an indie filmmaker, Markiplier finds himself as a small fish in an endless pond of churning flesh and regurgitated ideas. A small pocket of air amidst a very tired Hollywood. Within that environment, Iron Lung’s unique voice shines as an enticing diamond in the rough.
A YouTuber created a movie adapting a video game completely independently. Every part of that equation bodes poorly after years of low-quality adaptations and less than stellar showings from other YouTube personalities. However, Iron Lung miraculously emerges as a thoughtful descent into desperate survival.
Equally miraculous is the film’s unprecedented box office success, taking the number 1 spot this weekend in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, beating Sam Raimi’s Send Help and making an impressive $23 million at the time of writing according to TheNumbers.com. Both its financial success and quality have demonstrated a severe untapped potential in independent films that makes me very optimistic about the future of the space.
