Let’s get one thing straight. The current state of Hollywood films is dismal.
With sequel after unwarranted sequel, all the live-action remake slop, and an utter aversion to anything unique, one cannot help but be disillusioned by our cinematic future. Sure, we get some gems every now and then, but as Matt Damon explained in his episode on the YouTube series Hot Ones, it seems the deterioration of DVD sales has coincided with the death of the mid-budget movie. Film has become an all-or-nothing game, with no studios willing to gamble on anything but a pre-existing franchise.
But I see a light at the end of the tunnel, and that light is Iron Lung.
Iron Lung (2026) is a two-hour science-fiction indie horror written, produced, and directed by lead actor Mark Fischbach, best known on the internet as Markiplier. Based on a terrifying video game of the same name created by David Szymanski, Iron Lung is truly a remarkable feat. On its opening weekend, the film grossed over seven times its original budget of $3 million, dominating the charts much to the chagrin of larger studios that had spent tens of millions on marketing alone for features like Send Help and Melania.
Now I must confess, I’ve been a fan of Markiplier for years, so seeing this film at my local AMC was a no-brainer. However, I’m also a harsh critic when it comes to the silver screen. So what was so great about this awe-inspiring underdog?
Delectably Grotesque Visuals
Iron Lung’s setting is refreshingly unique in the sense that… there is quite literally only one. The entire film takes place on a rickety, iron submarine spelunking through an ocean of blood. Despite my raging claustrophobia, I was enamored with this choice. Since its eerie confinement is one of the game’s most memorable attributes, it makes sense to carry over that suffocating sensation.
You may be asking, doesn’t the gimmick grow tiresome after two whole hours? In my opinion, not at all! The film begins slowly, almost painfully so, as Fischbach’s convict character Simon explores the features of the sub. As time goes on, with more and more unfortunate events occurring and Simon’s situation turning dire, this tight space is critical to maintaining suspense. As he starts to lose his mind in the murky, red depths, we are going mad alongside him.
This descent into uncomfortable anarchy is aided by outstanding camera work. Cinematographer Philip Roy makes incredible use of such a limited space. From tactful—but not overused—Dutch angles to sickening closeups of pooling blood, glassy eyes, and trickling condensation, the shots never felt dull and always had my skin crawling.
All the way down to the intricate, immersive production design and gory special effects, this movie had me mesmerized.
Acting and Audio
Two other cinematic features of similar importance to visuals that I’ve decided to lump together are acting and audio.
When I dabbled in short films, my absolute favorite part of the process was sound design. Nothing thrilled me more than the power I wielded via sound effects and carefully curated royalty-free music. Therefore, believe me when I say I was horrified, in the best possible way, by Iron Lung’s sound design.
The general lack of music was an important choice in preserving feelings of isolation in the audience, especially when paired with poignantly unsettling sound effects like the radioactive flash of a camera or the tumultuous groan of the sub’s iron walls. Thus, any moment where we were bombarded with a dramatic soundtrack felt infinitely more powerful.
Moving on to acting, Iron Lung is again unique in its small but mighty cast. We only ever see a handful of faces, only two of which can be considered main characters, and the remaining human presence exists only as ephemeral flashbacks or crackling voices through a radio. Our main focus is Simon, played by our writer and director, Mark Fischbach.
While Fischbach is a captivating actor whose performance I enjoyed, I think the fact that I’ve consumed his content for years was a slight hindrance to my immersion. It’s a similar feeling to when you see Marvel actors in a different film or series. Yes, they are talented. Yes, they’re playing entirely different characters in a different world made by different people. But unfortunately, in my head, I will always see Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man. This isn’t necessarily bad, just something to note. To those with no prior familiarity with the Markiplier persona, I am curious as to how they perceive his performance.
Otherwise, Fischbach is exquisitely emotive and enthralling to see on screen, and Caroline Rose Kaplan barking orders as the authoritarian Ava was just as delightful.
My Only Concern: Story
Like some others, I came into this movie with zero background knowledge on the Iron Lung video game. The film’s narrative is not crazy complex by any means, but while I was able to follow the large story beats, I was a bit lost on some particulars.
Teetering the line between “show, don’t tell” and overt exposition is tough. I’d rather things be left ambiguous than over-explained, which is one of the film’s strengths, but I do feel as if some things went over my head. Part of this could be attributed to the lack of subtitles in the theatre or the volume being a twinge low, so I’m eager to rewatch at home and properly decipher the ending. Without spoiling anything, I think this issue mainly stems from the confined setting.
Besides this hurdle, I am a huge fan of Iron Lung’s premise. The concept of desperate survivors clinging to hope after a mass destruction event is common, but eternally relevant, and when paired with the involuntary subterranean exploration of a lunar blood lake, there is nothing more uniquely unnerving.
In the enD
The success of this movie was a tremendous, inspirational feat for the film industry. With the amount of love, care, and attention imbued in this film, it’s impossible not to smile at its triumphs and commend its very existence. I can’t wait to see what else Mark Fischbach and his team set out to create, if anything, and his tale of indie development proves to the world that there are great rewards to be found in taking risks, so don’t lose hope just yet.