My Review of Markiplier's New Film, "Iron Lung"

First off, who is Markiplier?

I have been a fan of the YouTuber known as "Markiplier," also known as Mark Edward Fischbach, for more than a decade.

I first discovered him as a teenager, when I glanced over my friend's shoulder while she was a watching a "Let's Play," video of his. It was an indie horror game where the player explores an abandoned, yet clearly exceedingly haunted house. I had never watched any video game streamers before and was not a huge fan of horror movies or games at the time, but I was locked in. And to my embarrassment, I practically leapt out of my chair at a jump scare, quickly clueing my friend in to the fact that I was watching. We laughed our asses off and she told me a little about Markiplier and where I could find more of his videos. That was back in my sophomore year of high school. Ever since, I've been a subscriber.

I've introduced his YouTube videos to my siblings and other friends over the years, as I feel his content has something for everyone. Whether it's a classic FNAF play through, a prop hunt with the boys, "A Heist With Markiplier," or his original show "The Edge of Sleep," on Amazon Prime, it's been quite the adventure seeing what new projects and genres Mark tackles next. His talent and eagerness to challenge himself, coupled with his fun, silly but down-to-earth, and at times loud and boisterous personality displayed in his videos have made Mark a widely regarded and beloved content creator in the YouTube world.

Now, enter "Iron Lung."

For those who are not aware, Iron Lung is actually based on an indie horror game under the same name that Markiplier played back in 2022. After playing the game and falling in love with its concept, style and mysterious lore, Mark secured the rights to the game from developer David Szymanski with the hope of later adapting it into a film. This past weekend, that dream became a reality, with the release of the sci-fi/horror film "Iron Lung," written, directed, financed and starred in my Mark Fischbach, on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026.

The original video game is a claustrophobic, visceral experience where you play a convict who has been forced into a suicide mission by the Consolidation of Iron, or COI. The mission: To pilot a tiny submarine, nicknamed the "Iron Lung," through an ocean of blood on a desolate, alien moon called At-5. How does the player wind up in this position? Following a cataclysmic cosmic event known as "The Quiet Rapture," which wiped out all stars and habitable planets in the known universe, the player is assigned this doomed mission (in exchange for freedom) to surveil and explore the blood ocean in the hope that it contains resources necessary to sustain the remainder of the human race, now on the brink of extinction.

Within the submarine, the player is tasked with blindly navigating the blood ocean using primitive instruments and taking pictures of anomalies at certain points of interest. Unable to see what is immediately outside the submarine, the player must rely on their own intuition and avoid obstacles through trial and error. In a nutshell, it becomes glaringly obvious to the player from the start of the mission that it is meant as a death sentence. The blood ocean itself is heavy and thick, putting immense pressure on the sub and its structural integrity. The channels the player is forced to navigate through are narrow and hazardous, making collisions near inevitable. And, throughout the game, the player is tormented by groaning sounds coming from outside the sub, as if some kind of large, other-worldly creature is stalking them. This is no expedition, but an execution.

So how well did everything translate from video game to film?

I can honestly say after seeing Iron Lung last night, I am thoroughly impressed. It was obvious from the opening scene that Markiplier poured his heart and soul into this passion project. The set design and the interior look of the submarine looked nearly identical to what was in the game. The Quiet Rapture is explained in just enough detail to let us know why this mission in the blood ocean is necessary. And, we finally get an answer as to why Mark had been letting his hair grow out for months—with Mark starring in the film as the convict charged with carrying out this suicide mission, his long hair suits the role perfectly.

I don't want to give any significant plot points or reveal any spoilers in this review. Besides not wanting to spoil anything in the hope you might give this film a try, Mark has sworn fans to secrecy, at least for the film's opening weekend. But, I did feel it was necessary to write this review, explain some of the lore and give the film the applause it deserves.

Iron Lung is a visceral, gory and incredibly suspenseful experience that takes viewers on a brutal psychological journey right alongside Mark, who stars as the film's protagonist, Simon. The film's budget was approximately $3 million (a dollar amount the film has already grossed in just two days), but despite the film's low budget, Iron Lung captures your attention and takes you on quite the ride. The camera angles and cinematography help hide the constraints of the set and budget while building tension, foreshadowing events to come and letting Mark's performance shine.

Overall, I would give this film a solid 75%. Critics have given it somewhere between a 50% or 60%, while audiences have given it at least 85% if not closer to 90%. While the film had its faults, it is refreshing and really inspiring to see fans support Markiplier by seeing his film and rating it not just based on quality, but also on the amount of time and effort put into it. I encourage everyone out there to take two hours out of your day to go see this film and help support a fellow content creator who has dedicated himself to trying new projects, experimenting and always taking into account what his fans want to see next. Mark fell in love with the original Iron Lung game and wanted to share his vision of what it might look like as a film with the world, and he did just that. Congrats to you, Mark, and I hope you never give up on film, there is no doubt a future there for you in the cinematic world.

If anyone does end up seeing this film, let me know what you think down in the comments!