Iron Lung - Wow, It's Actually Good!

TL;DR

Markiplier's self-financed horror film Iron Lung succeeds because it takes genuine creative risks with a Lovecraftian sci-fi concept instead of recycling safe horror tropes.

Key Points

• 1.The premise: Set in a future where all stars vanished, convicted prisoner Simon pilots a submersible into a blood ocean on a distant moon to gather samples that might save humanity.
• 2.Budget workarounds: The film uses X-ray camera snapshots instead of direct visuals, cleverly disguising its low budget while building claustrophobic tension inside a failing submarine surrounded by an undersea monster.
• 3.Markiplier's performance: Despite the risk of a YouTuber financing his own starring role, he delivers a genuinely compelling performance as a man pushed to his physical and mental limits — avoiding the vanity-project trap.
• 4.Main weakness: The 2-hour runtime drags badly in the second act, with the reviewer noting the concept felt better suited to a 30-minute short film — tension tips into boredom before the finale recovers.