Iron Lung

★★★ out of ★★★★

Iron Lung (2026)

Runtime: 125 minutes

MPAA: Rated R for language, bloody images and some gore.

Anyone reading this would think that I'm losing my mind at this point, with another connection to, yes, Five Nights at Freddy's. I discovered these indie point-and-click games through popular youtube playthroughs, especially those from Markiplier (real name Mark Fischbach). Several years later, he posted a video gameplay of David Szymanski's horror game Iron Lung. This fascinated him enough for him to adapt it into a film of the same name, his writing and directorial debut, also starring himself.

Even more so than Project Hail Mary, this one-man show is clearly a personal project, the whole film giving off-kilter vibes, but surprisingly in a good way. Iron Lung is more of a mood piece, one that has zero jumpscares throughout its entire runtime, instead building and sustaining dread, while simultaneously peeling the psychological deterioration of his character Simon as he endures a multitude of events in a submarine. Granted, this description gives the impression of a story that gets boring very quickly. It's a bit of a slow burn, clocking in at over two hours, and some tightening would definitely have been helpful; there's a more concise 105-minute version that unpacks these elements as effectively. Still, the unusual yet interesting visual style certainly never makes it a boring watch. Have a little bit of patience.

Shot almost entirely in a forced perspective, it initially uses some quirky stylistic compositions that are intentionally repetitive to depict the monotony of Simon's tasks. As Iron Lung progresses, the visual language changes, incorporating extreme close-ups, voyeuristic angles and fever dream-like shots. Narratively, there isn't much, but that isn't the primary intent. An event known as the "Quiet Rapture" causes stars, planets and human populations to vanish, leaving behind only space stations and spaceships. Simon, convicted of destroying a station, is forced to navigate a moon with an ocean of blood, to obtain a sample from a skeleton he discovered from the ocean floor. It goes awry and he attempts to get back to the surface, where several other revelations occur. I haven't played or familiarised myself with the games before, yet Fischbach avoids hand-holding us, throwing us right into the moment. It's a smart decision, one that avoids explaining its lore clunkily, trusting us to embrace the mystery and fear the unknown.

What also helps the aesthetic style is how it explores Simon's internal state. Occasional conversations with other people through the radio reveal some things about his past, his character and morale. There are sparse yet effective flashbacks and hallucinations that capture how he collapses under extreme isolation, trauma and betrayal. Several scenes which involve extraterrestrial creatures also hint at sudden shocks, but they reflect back on his increasing mental degradation. This is also further amplified by him hearing a multitude of voices from multiple people, each one confusing him further. Fischbach draws convincing moments from these, yet the close-ups are where you can see his facial expressions get slightly stiff too. There's a ton of rage, screaming and yelling, but the power comes from subtlety, one he captures in scenes where the camera doesn't zoom into his face. 

Another aspect I liked was also how the monster, which apart from being obviously menacing, also emotionally manipulates Simon, gaslighting him and capitalising on his worst tendencies. Close to the finale, the sentient creature interferes with his task, creating a confusing dilemma on what to do and who to trust. Despite this, his strongly established sense of agency and moral compass dictates the final outcome. Which makes it a slight letdown that all this sustained tension gives way in the blood-soaked finale, losing a bit of its impact. It just doesn't hit as hard as the unsettling momentum that the rest of the film built. Nonetheless, it's interesting to see independent filmmakers create projects that don't adhere to traditional cinematic conventions. Whatever works and whatnot, I'm looking forward to anything else Fischbach has to offer.