Markiplier Makes Convincing Theatrical Debut In 'Iron Lung'

Video game adaptation runs on fan enthusiasm and (many) gallons of blood

YouTuber Markiplier, who holds a subscriber base of just over 38 million users, played a short indie horror game called Iron Lung in the summer of 2022. He found himself so taken by its claustrophobic atmosphere that he decided to turn it into his first directorial effort made for theaters. In anticipation of release, the film was able to get mass distribution through fan campaigns. My opening day theater was packed. The love for Markiplier’s content is immense, but surprisingly a big part of what makes Iron Lung work is its refusal to pander only to the choir.

Mark Fischbach, aka Markiplier, plays a convict sent in a submarine to the depths of an ocean of blood in exchange for his freedom upon the mission’s completion. With the exception of a few brief moments, the whole film takes place on the sub, whose lo-fi PlayStation 1-era appearance in the game has been meticulously reimagined as a real space. Fischbach is not entirely alone in carrying the film, though, thanks to a very strong supporting voice cast who coach or annoy the convict through his expedition. The cast is made up primarily of video game voice actors, including Troy Baker (best known for playing the protagonist Nathan Drake in the Uncharted series).

Video games are currently coming out of the painful growing period comic books went through in the 1990s–studio executives have not quite figured them out. When Batman (1989) released, competitors responded by adapting fewer current, relevant characters and more superheroes who also debuted in the 1940s. See (the fabulously underrated) Dick Tracy (1990) or The Shadow (1994) as examples. Today, many game adaptations either butcher the source material (the Resident Evil series or Borderlands) or completely dumb it down (The Minecraft Movie). The medium of film can never have the distinct narrative possibilities that come from interactivity, but there are many gaming worlds that are ripe for smart translation. Iron Lung feels like the kind of video game movie we have been waiting for, the type that does not cheapen either side of the combination.

The voice actors and production design lend an urgent immersion to the oppressive story. Plus, Mark Fischbach gives a surprisingly solid performance that reminded me of Bruce Campbell in Evil Dead 2 and never lets the Markiplier persona shine over the character. Every element of the game has been made more cinematic, including an expansion to the story and worldbuilding. Another smart move is refraining from any overt fanservice. While Markiplier fans will likely find additional enjoyment from seeing him in this role, the integrity of the narrative is never broken by winking in-jokes or “Chicken Jockey” type moments. This is a movie that can be enjoyed by anyone. The handful of genuinely funny moments make sense within the serious story.

Going into the movie, I was worried that my review might say something like “for a low-budget horror movie from a relatively amateur director…” but Iron Lung almost never warrants such a concession. The most obvious indication of limited resources is that the inevitable blood ocean denizens are never clearly seen. The absence is luckily made up for through the use of an X-ray camera device that frequently flashes the kind of low-detail images in the sub that let your brain fill in the worst details. As the best of cheap horror does, the limitation becomes a feature. Above all, this is firmly a professional-level movie that belongs on the big screen.

Fischbach’s directorial style, with support from DP Philip Roy and co-editor Marc Schneider, continually finds ingenious ways to keep the small sub space feeling dynamic and fresh. Thanks to this, I did not end up feeling the seemingly ludicrous 127-minute runtime at all. I would definitely recommend seeing it in theaters, though. Some of the sequences are extremely dark in lighting and it is hard to imagine the film translating to a smaller screen without being blown out or illegible. The theater feels like an immersive extension of the submarine.

Where Iron Lung does fall a little short is in substance. Fischbach is clearly not trying to create “elevated” horror here. Beyond some ominous but vague worldbuilding, the narrative has little to say. A guy is in a terrifying, weird situation and then credits roll. The protagonist has an interesting backstory, yet no consequential character arc. Do not expect everything to be clearly explained. As someone unfamiliar with the game, I felt just the right amount of lost. Characters do drop enough lore to keep you invested and following the broad story, but the viewer is left to ponder what exactly is going on. Finally, the ending was a bit abrupt and, despite the aforementioned runtime, I would have appreciated another fifteen minutes to let the blood drenched third act escalate more.

On the topic of blood, Iron Lung could possibly have the most of any film. An ocean of blood indeed. At the same time, all violence is largely relegated to the last ten minutes and is disturbing, but not overly excessive in my opinion. While this is not for children or the faint of heart, it is also not an extremely scary or distressing film in comparison to most in the horror genre.

Beyond brief, non-sacrilegious discussion of a divinity in a cosmic horror sense, there is not much here to specifically turn off or entice Catholic viewers. Recommended for anyone who enjoys horror, especially of the Lovecraftian kind.

Iron Lung is now playing in theaters.