Iron Lung review
There were barely enough left to name the apocalypse that wiped the stars, planets and most of mankind out: the Quiet Rapture. Survivors drift around in space stations without anywhere to call home. Scientists discover a moon that could be inhabitable, RT-8. Like three other moons after the Rapture, part of its surface is covered by a newly formed sea of blood: an anomaly that may hold something vital for the future of mankind. There are far too few humans to sacrifice to explore, but they no longer have the privilege to play God. The lowest value survivor must go. A convict, Simon is welded into the Iron Lung submarine and descends into the blood.
Originally planned to be shown in only 50 U.S. theaters on Jan. 30, indie movie “Iron Lung” released into approximately 3,015 theaters worldwide after overwhelming demand. Based on an indie game released in 2022 by David Szymanski, the movie was developed by Mark “Markiplier” Fischbach. Popular as a YouTuber and known to develop his own amateur films (ex. “A Heist with Markiplier” 2019, “In Space with Markiplier” 2022), this movie began his professional film debut. With a budget of $3 million and a two year film schedule, the film defied expectations, grossing over 14 times its original budget with over $43.7 million worldwide. Claiming the number one spot at the box office on release weekend, it also beat out movies from critically acclaimed directors, such as Disney’s “Send Help” and Amazon MGM’s “Melania.”
The film’s most defining creative decision is the near-total confinement to the Iron Lung submarine. For almost the entirety of the 127 minute runtime, the audience remains inside the restricting vessel, with only a handful of brief exterior shots.
Over the course of the film the narrative transforms into a psychological descent. The film initially invokes classic eldritch horror through themes of incomprehensible entities such as colossal skeleton creatures, disembodied voices and a godlike presence at the climax of the film. Despite this, those such horrors Simon experiences remain scientifically plausible by deterioration of the mind caused by prolonged isolation, repeated exposure to X-Ray camera rays and contact with irradiated blood.
In an era of fast-paced jump-scare horror films, Iron Lung instead chooses suspense. Critics argue that 127 minutes of runtime was wholly unnecessary, but the discomfort of the runtime is purposeful. The slow progression forces the audience to sit in the claustrophobia, and feel the unease as the time stretches and sanity thins.
While Fishbach’s fanbase of 34 million strong undeniably aids the film’s commercial success, Iron Lung proves itself to be more than a creator-driven novelty. It stands on its own as a tense, thoughtful horror film that understands restraint, atmosphere and psychological layering.
