by Cyn’s Corner

There’s something genuinely exciting about seeing fellow YouTubers step into the world of feature filmmaking, and Iron Lung is clearly a passion project driven by ambition and creative curiosity. Based on the video game of the same name, the film looks decent overall from a technical standpoint, especially considering what was likely a very limited budget. Mark Fischbach (aka “Markiplier”) not only stars in the film but also directs and edits it, and that level of hands-on involvement shows in the cohesive visual style and careful attention to atmosphere.

Unfortunately, the strengths end up being outweighed by significant issues with storytelling, pacing, and accessibility. The narrative is extremely strange, abstract, and often confusing, leaning heavily into “what is reality?” territory without providing enough grounding for viewers unfamiliar with the source material. While fans of the game may find meaning in some of these choices, the film struggles to transcend its origins in a way that would make it fully effective for a broader audience.

The one-location setting, while understandable, becomes increasingly limiting as the runtime stretches past two hours. Not all single-location films suffer from this problem—The Outfit being a great recent example—but here, the lack of variation combined with the slow pacing causes the film to drag significantly. There are long stretches where it feels like the story is circling rather than progressing, and the eventual payoff doesn’t feel earned or satisfying.

Adding to the frustration, the score frequently overpowers the dialogue, which is particularly problematic in a film so reliant on conversation and atmosphere. By the time the credits roll, Iron Lung feels less like a slow-burn and more like an experience that overstayed its welcome.

While the ambition and effort behind the film are absolutely commendable, Iron Lung ultimately didn’t work for me. It’s too long, too weird, and too niche to fully succeed outside of its core fanbase, and I walked away feeling disappointed rather than impressed.

Rating: 3/10