If you haven’t heard of Iron Lung, it’s the feature film debut of Mark Fischbach (better known online as Markiplier) and it’s based on the indie horror game of the same name.

As a gamer who’s spent time in the livestreaming scene, I was genuinely excited for this movie.

While I have never played the game myself, it had long been on my streaming list back when I was deep into my streamer/VTuber era.

So this was a very personal watch.

The non-spoiler synopsis

Iron Lung drops us into a bleak future where all the stars and habitable planets have mysteriously vanished.

Humanity is barely surviving and a convict (Simon, played by Markiplier) is given a strange deal: pilot a tiny, aging submarine into an ocean of blood on a distant moon and take photos of whatever is down there.

That’s the mission.

The tension comes from the isolation, the limited visibility, and the constant feeling that something is out there.

A submarine that stayed under for too long

Let’s talk about the runtime.

At 2 hours and 7 minutes, it feels longer than the story demands.

The original game can be completed in about 90 minutes, and most horror films today stay under two hours.

Instead, the film lingers.

There are extended cinematic close-ups of Markiplier grunting, emoting, breathing in claustrophobic frames. Technically solid (he loses clothes bit by bit by the way, haha), but the pacing drags.

I found myself wishing those extra minutes had gone to expanding the lore instead.

You see, the world of Iron Lung is fascinating. A blood ocean. Isolation. Cosmic dread. The film hints at it, but never really fully explored it.

Built for the faithful

I can’t help but think I would have appreciated this more if I had played the game.

And that itself is/could be a problem.

Adaptations should reward fans while still standing on their own. Even Silent Hill managed to pull in viewers unfamiliar with Silent Hill 2.

Iron Lung leans more niche. If you’re not already invested in the game or in Markiplier himself, it could be really hard to connect with the movie.

A promising first feature

But, let’s give credit where credit is due: for a debut feature, this is impressive.

It doesn’t feel like a lazy creator cash-in. It feels earnest, personal and ambitious.

Visually, it works and you can definitely see the filmmaker Markiplier wants to become.

What’s missing though, is refinement. A sharper edit. A tighter script.

But the potential? Absolutely there.

Final verdict

Rating: 6/10.

Atmospheric and clearly a passion project, but in need of restraint.

If you’re a big fan of the game or of Markiplier, it’s worth your time. If not, your two hours might be better spent elsewhere.

Still, watching a major digital creator take a serious swing at filmmaking is fascinating in itself, even if the submarine ride feels longer than it should.