“Iron Lung” shows that staying true to the source material is not always the right call to make when creating a film. The movie is a trudge through boredom for the first half, but the concepts that it introduces and horror of the universe of Iron Lung end up shining through, in spite of its many flaws.

Releasing in theaters Friday, Jan. 30 the film takes place in a reality where all the stars in the universe have seemingly vanished and humanity is left wondering why. “Iron Lung” throws its audience straight into the sea of blood with little introduction. The story follows famous YouTube creator Markiplier who plays a convict that remains unnamed for the majority of the film. 

For nearly the entirety of “Iron Lung” the viewers are trapped alongside the convict as they witness his struggles and hardships, as he seeks his freedom. However this becomes more trouble than it’s worth.
The setting is stagnant, and some viewers may find themselves getting bored. Just like the convict they are stuck in the ship with little to enjoy. The film is adapted from a game of the same name created by David Szymanski, and it is very similar to how players experience it. Though this ends up being a detriment to the quality, it would have been so much more enjoyable if they tweaked it to give viewers more variety. 

The camera work was good, but after the first third of the film, many viewers will start to notice that the shots blend together. A boring trudge until the horror seeps into the minds of the main character.

The problems with “Iron Lung” go beyond issues with transition from game to film. The dialogue leaves a lot to be desired. It’s unpolished, with some lines being laughably awkward and phrases that are repeated to an obnoxious degree. 

All these issues give a sense of a student film rather than a professional theatrically released movie. While “Iron Lung” has a long list of issues, people who are deeply interested in the horror genre should give it a shot.

As Markiplier’s directorial debut, “Iron Lung” was pretty impressive. The second half of the film tackles deeply unsettling cosmic horror that makes some seasoned horror fans wonder about their place in the universe. 

Overall, I would not recommend this movie to someone looking to enjoy a fun movie on the weekend. But if viewers are interested in discovering unique terrifying concepts that are rarely seen in recent horror movies, they should consider watching “Iron Lung.”