On March 9, 2022, indie game developer David Szymanski released "Iron Lung," a brief, hour-long horror stimulation in which players control a convict trapped in a submarine deep in an ocean of blood. With this unique plot and the game's accesibility due to the brief runtime, the game quickly grew in popularity, and the title now boasts a film adaptation of the same name and premise, only four years after its release.
"Iron Lung," like many indie titles before it such as "Five Nights at Freddy's" and "Slender: The Eight Pages," blew up well beyond Szymanski’s expectations due to social media platforms like YouTube. This popularity eventually led to a film adaptation that was produced, directed and starred in by one of the same creators who helped popularize it. This creator, Mark Fischbach (reffered to within the film's credits by his channel name Markiplier), funded the film almost exclusively and also acted as the main source of anticipation for "Iron Lung" leading up to its eventual release in theatres on Jan. 30 of this year. Originally only meant for a limited release in 50 theatres, outcry from Markiplier's fanbase led to the independent film instead having a worldwide release at over 25,000 theatres.
"Iron Lung" follows the same plotline as the original game, taking place after an ambiguous event known as the Quiet Rapture, which causes the disappearance of all planets, stars and traces of life save for those that remain on space stations and interstellar ships. Along with humanity's remnants, the Quiet Rapture also leaves behind something new: a set of moons that each contain oceans of blood across their surfaces. The only remnants of humanity left by the film's opening are the utilitarian colony, known as the Consolidation of Iron, and the smaller more occult spacefaring group, known as Eden.
The protagonist of the film is Simon, a convict from Eden played by Markiplier himself, who has been welded into a shoddy submersible known as the Iron Lung to investigate one of the blood oceans on a moon known as AT-5. Simon is forced into the Iron Lung by the Consolidation of Iron, who have offered him his freedom in exchange for completing this mission. The only interaction Simon receives during the course of this mission is a member of the Consolidation, captain Ava, played by actress Caroline Rose Kaplan, who speaks to Simon on rare occasion throughout the film via the submarine’s intercom. These brief interactions only serve to deepen the tension of the film, however, as Ava is mostly apathetic to Simon's fears and his later claims that he isn't alone, adding to the idea that Simon truly is on his own.
Over the course of the film, Simon investigates points of interest within the trenches taken from scans performed by the Consolidation, each of which seem to contain traces of something far more sinister than the lifeless trenches the Consolidation expected. Simon, who spends the majority of the movie alone and unarmed except for a camera attached to the cramped ship’s front, discovers eldritch horrors far beyond his comprehension and eventually finds hints towards the truth behind the Quiet Rapture and the horrors it brought with it.
“Iron Lung” is a masterful execution of the eldritch horror genre and remains ambitious in its subject material, despite taking place entirely within one room save for a few hallucination sequences. The film is dark and cramped, acting as a perfect replication of the original game’s tension. The film revels in its silence, building tension not only through deep, moody music but also through a complete lack of sound save for the metallic sounds of Simon's footsteps or the flash of the ship's camera.
Despite the movie’s low budget of only around $3 million, “Iron Lung” contains special effects far beyond those of an average indie film. The special effects never once detract from the experience, as effects very easily can in thrillers like this, and scenes featuring gore and injury are as harrowing as they are bloody.
This does, however, lead to a few drawbacks that cause me to not recommend this film to anyone who isn’t a fan of more vicious horror movies. “Iron Lung” is not a film for the faint of heart, and its R rating is not at all just for show as some horror film ratings tend to be.
Also, while Markiplier's performance as Simon rises above the horror movie standard, especially during the character's more desperate moments, Markiplier's acting does occasionally appear amateurish. These issues, alongside occasional audio mixing issues with the voices over the Iron Lung’s intercom, do prevent me from giving the film a perfect score, though none of them ruin the experience.
Regarding character writing, it is important to note that with such a small-scale movie, the film’s emotional relevance will entirely ride on the main character. As a perfect example, it is Simon’s character journey in “Iron Lung” that acts as the emotional core of every event that takes place. Avoiding spoilers, Simon’s character acts as an embodiment of the film’s themes of desire for life and selflessness, without acting strictly as a tool to further the story. The convict’s motives remain grounded throughout the picture, despite his horrific surroundings and diminishing sanity. His charisma also often carries “Iron Lung” through its slower moments when it could very easily drag, as the film is much longer than an average playthrough of the game it’s based on.
Overall, “Iron Lung” is a must-see for any fans of unique horror, especially eldritch horror, and its smaller scale doesn’t hold it back from being an ambitious movie and a perfect example of what a dedicated team can accomplish on a shoestring budget and a solid concept.
3.9/5 – A bloody good time, if you can overcome the barrier of entry.
Despite not being the biggest fan of horror movies myself, I enjoyed “Iron Lung.” I commend the movie’s skillful design, despite a low budget, and I would say it well surpassed my expectations, especially when compared to other video game adaptations. If you can handle the gore, give it a watch before it leaves theaters or later on streaming, wherever it may end up.
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Foster Mayhall, a freshman currently undeclared in engineering, is from Dothan, Alabama. He has been with The Auburn Plainsman since the spring of 2026.
