Review: IRON LUNG May Be Painfully Empty and Completly Lost on Me, But Its Massive Success is Impressive as Hell

I walked into Iron Lung feeling pretty neutral and honestly kind of optimistic. I haven’t played the game, I’m not familiar with the YouTuber who made it, Markiplier aka Mark Fischbach, and I had zero emotional attachment going in.

I saw the trailers, thought the concept sounded interesting, and noticed the audience reactions online were glowing. A 90% audience score doesn’t just happen by accident. I thought that I was going to see something good, or at the very least something somewhat entertaining.

What I actually got was one of the most baffling theatrical experiences I’ve had in a long time, and not in a good way.

The story drops viewers into a bleak post-apocalyptic future where humanity is scraping by after a cosmic catastrophe known as The Quiet Rapture. Stars are gone. Habitable planets have vanished. All that’s left are rusting space stations, desperate survivors, and one horrifying discovery.

At the center of the story is a lone convict, played by Mark Fischbach, forced into a tiny submarine ominously nicknamed the Iron Lung. His mission sends him beneath the surface of an ocean made entirely of blood on a desolate moon.

The goal is survival, maybe even salvation, but the situation feels more like a death sentence than a rescue operation.

Let me get this out of the way early because I know what’s coming. There’s a very good chance fans of the creator, the game, and the film are going to come after me for this take, and that’s fine. Seriously. I’m not here to tear down anyone’s fun or tell people they’re wrong for liking something.

I’m just giving my honest opinion and calling a spade a spade. Sorry if it stings, but this movie didn’t work for me at all. I’m reviewing the film itself, not the fandom that’s been built around it, and that difference matters with releases like this.

What’s impossible to ignore is that the success of this movie feels almost entirely driven by an already massive and loyal fanbase. That audience showed up in force, and it clearly carried the film forward.

I was easily one of the older people in the theater, and the energy in the room made it obvious this was an event for fans. That’s not a bad thing on its own. In fact, it’s impressive. But it also explains a lot.

I genuinely don’t understand how this movie landed such a massive theatrical release or why it connected so strongly with audiences. I don’t get how this movie earned such passionate praise because taken on its own, it left me cold and annoyed, and wondering how 30 minutes felt like 2 hours.

Here’s the part where I give credit where credit is due. An $18 million opening weekend is a huge accomplishment, especially for a project like this. That’s no small feat, and it deserves real respect. Getting a movie made is hard. Getting a wide release is even harder. Getting people to show up like that is incredible.

I want to congratulate the filmmaker for pulling that off, because it’s something most creators will never experience. Even though the movie absolutely didn’t do anything for me, I can still recognize that level of success and tip my hat to it.

That said, the film itself felt painfully empty. It’s decently shot, sure, but there’s just nothing underneath the surface. The acting didn’t work for me at all, the writing felt sloppy and unfocused, and at times I genuinely wondered if this thing was shot without a script.

It plays like a collection of ideas that never quite come together into an actual story worth sitting with. I wasn’t engaged, I wasn’t emotionally invested, and I never felt like the movie gave me a reason to care. It just kind of exists for a long, long time… over two hours!

What really blows my mind is how bored I was despite wanting to like it. I’m all for slow, minimal films when there’s something simmering underneath. This didn’t have that. It felt long, repetitive, and hollow, like it was stretching a thin concept way past its limits.

I kept waiting for the moment where it would click, where I’d suddenly understand why people loved it so much. That moment never came.

At the end of the day, this is just my take on the movie. I respect the hustle. I respect the success. I respect the fans who showed up and made this a hit, even though I don’t understand how anyone could think this movie was good. But, I didn’t like it, plain and simple.

I found it boring, empty, and frustrating. If you liked it, awesome. I’m genuinely glad it connected with you. It just didn’t work for me, and I’m okay standing alone on that hill if that’s what it takes.

Regarldess, the film’s success gives hope to indie filmmakers, and that’s a positive thing.