Markiplier’s New Horror Film ‘Iron Lung’ Gushes Originality

When all the lights go out in the universe, only a moon engulfed by an ocean of blood remains. That’s the premise of Markiplier’s debut film.

“Iron Lung” proudly touts that the production used 80,000 gallons of fake blood — making it the bloodiest movie ever projected on the silver screen. 

But vats of fake blood alone don’t make a film good. Fortunately, “Iron Lung” is more than just a blood-soaked B-movie.

Three years ago, Mark Edward Fischbach — better known by his gamer tag Markiplier — posted his playthrough of the indie horror game “Iron Lung.” His passion for the game’s grungy, gory aesthetic and cosmic, mysterious story led to a bold new journey for the YouTube legend. He co-wrote, executive produced, directed and stars in this theatrical adaptation of the game, released Jan. 30.

The movie’s gripping opening contextualizes the movie as an apocalyptic sci-fi future where all the stars and planets have mysteriously vanished from the universe. All that remains are space stations with the last vestiges of humanity, and one gory anomaly — an ocean of blood instead of water.

Fischbach stars as a convict charged to explore the ocean in exchange for his freedom. The entire story takes place in the titular iron vessel the convict uses to traverse the blood. This provides the movie with a uniquely grimy setting and claustrophobic feeling. The movie is — sometimes literally — dripping with an eldritch atmosphere.

“Iron Lung” is chock-full of delightfully creepy imagery and gory fun. The sci-fi future landscape feels dirty and lived-in. One climatic scene in particular is spectacularly horrific, with visuals that would make H. P. Lovecraft jealous.

Besides Fischbach, the movie features the talent of Troy Baker, a legendary voice actor in the video game community, and actress Caroline Kaplan. Fellow YouTube gaming celebrity Seán MacLoughlin — who goes by Jacksepticeye online — also makes a cameo.

The vast majority of the film, though, is Fischbach alone in the submersible. He sticks the landing in most scenes — especially with comedic timing — but he tends to play the intense scenes too big, lacking subtlety. Over the top reactions might get clicks online, but for a cinematic feature they can seem a bit hokey.

However, Fischbach’s character has an interesting backstory. Little by little, we learn the regrets of his past, each tidbit leaving the watcher wanting to know more.

The relationship between the convict and Kaplan’s (“The Plot Against America,” “Divorce”) character is equally intriguing. Their chemistry forces the audience to genuinely want them to work together and see them make out of the sticky situation they unintentionally put themselves in.

The same can be said for the world building of “Iron Lung.” The developer for the original game, David Szymanski, co-wrote the movie, and the audience can feel the broader history of this apocalypse he brought to this story.

The plot is not without its shortcomings, however. Despite the many twists and turns, the film can be a bit of a drag in the second half. A bit of trimming from the two hour runtime would be a welcome improvement. 

Despite some minor hiccups, “Iron Lung” makes for a great time in the movie theater. The characters keep you invested. The acting is mostly done well. The story, while somewhat bloated, is overall an interesting puzzle for the audience. The visual style is wonderfully scary and sure to please fans of the exploitation and horror genres. 

For a first-time producer, writer, director and film actor, Fischbach should be very proud. For fans of classics like “Underwater,” “Annihilation,” “Evil Dead” or “Saw,” this movie is a safe bet for a fun time. 

“Iron Lung” is in theaters now.