By R.J. Melby 

Writer/Reporter 

Mark Fischbach (or Markiplier, as he is familiarly known on YouTube) co-wrote, directs, and stars in “Iron Lung,” a movie based on the 2022 hit indie game of the same name. The story is set in a future of dying stars and starving humanity, where Simon, a convict, must explore an ocean of blood for resources if he wants a chance at freedom.  

I wasn’t sure what to expect when the fiancée and I went to see this one. I had heard the buzz surrounding it. The news filled my social feeds, and it seemed everyone was talking about it, namely about the film’s record achievement for most fake blood used in a movie. I was also familiar with Markiplier’s YouTube career, but I knew nothing about the game. 

Despite not knowing anything about the story, I was immediately drawn in. The movie grabs one instantly, while trusting its audience to follow along without the need for overwhelming exposition. The story is gradual, but gripping. There were plenty of moments I sat stiffly in my seat, eyes welded to the screen. The music, composed by Andrew Hulshult, also serves to accentuate the terrifying, blood-soaked journey. As a directorial debut for Fischbach, the film is delightfully unnerving. 

Without spoiling anything, one can say the horror lies best in its lack of details. There’s a cosmic horror theme that haunts this piece, and it is done so effectively. One cannot help but be reminded of classic H.P. Lovecraft stories of unknowable mysteries, with themes of humanity’s insignificance in a universe that is at best hostile, and at worst uncaring. The scares are appropriately drawn out, and the tensions build organically over time before the inevitable crescendo. By the end, I was still adjusting my neck from the whiplash. 

Despite critics’ scores being mixed, it seems everyone is raving about the film, finding it an exciting venture into a post-apocalyptic future. I have to agree.