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Film: Iron Lung
Year: 2026
Director: Mark Fischbach
Writer: Mark Fischbach
Starring: Mark Fischbach, Caroline Kaplan and Troy Baker
Review:
This was a film that I didn’t know much about. A trailer played while I was at the Gateway Film Center which is what made me realize that it is horror. Ahead of seeing this, I learned that it is based on a video game. Other than that and knowing that this would be sci-fi, I came into this one blind. It is also a 2026 horror release as well. I’ve also now given it a second watch as part of my end of year list.
Synopsis: in a post-apocalyptic future after ‘The Quiet Rapture’ event, a convict explores a blood ocean on a desolate moon using a submarine called the ‘Iron Lung’ to search for missing stars/planets.
Now we start learning information from the synopsis. There was this event and there weren't many people left. What stuck out to me was that there aren’t enough people to fix civilization, but not enough food to feed those that are left. It is decided to explore this ocean of blood. I didn’t realize what they were necessarily looking for until reading the synopsis. That makes this more intriguing. Something else to include is that all the stars and planets have died out.
For most of this film, our lead is referred to as convict. His sentence will be commuted if he completes the mission that he’s given. The problem here is that the goalposts keep moving. His name is Simon (Mark Fischbach). A majority of this film is him in this submarine-like vehicle. He is given a small map. He has a button he can press to take images. There isn’t much direction given to him so he figures things out as he goes.
We then see him as he takes the map and starts to make notes on it. He’s told that he’s the first person to attempt this. While he’s searching, he notices condensation inside. This makes him worry. He only has so much oxygen and the Iron Lung can only take so much pressure. He must keep the port that he looks out closed when he’s under. Something else concerning, he notices blood leaking in. While he’s taking pictures, he captures the skeleton of a large creature. Relying this to the voice (Elsie Lovelock) he’s allowed to come up to the surface.
Simon thinks he’s done, but he’s told that he needs to obtain a sample. An arm is attached to the front of his vehicle. Simon protests going back down, but he’s denied. Part of the problem is that he’s been welded in. The time to get someone else in, whatever he saw maybe gone. He is told that the ground under the ocean is constantly shifting as there is no floor, just a level of congealed blood. In defiance, he does something that upsets the surface crew. He uses his camera. It emits a high amount of radiation. He is sent back down.
It is from here that he tries to find whatever he saw. There is an interesting element about the image he took and the one he did in the laboratory. Simon in his isolation has to deal with descending into madness. He hears other voices through the speaker. He isn’t sure what is real. The Iron Lung is attacked by something. The leaks are growing and he thinks that he sees something in the vehicle with him. As I’m alluding to, what is really happening during this mission?
That is where I’ll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I want to start is by saying that I did enjoy the atmosphere of this film. It is claustrophobic. This is told through the point of view of Simon. It isn't the first person, but the camera is always inside of the ship. When he comes up, we see the research lead through the window and her team. The only times that we don’t would be through dreams and flashbacks that Simon has. That goes back to his childhood. I do appreciate the commitment in telling this tale.
Now that I’ve set that up, I do need to say that I did doze off a few times seeing this. I’m not going to fully put the blame on this film and say that I was tired coming into the theater. I also was bundled up and became very warm. Having the chance to revisit, I can confirm that I didn’t miss much. This is a surreal journey. Simon is going crazy due to being isolated and trapped inside this vessel. It is an effective atmosphere, which is built on by the constant consistency in what he’s told and then the reality. This does well in building tension.
Shifting focus to the narrative, the film establishes a compelling dystopian premise where humanity searches the cosmos for a new home after the world ends. The setting—a desolate moon with a blood ocean—is intriguing, though the plot leaves some questions unanswered, perhaps requiring knowledge of the source game. The Lovecraftian creature encountered adds an effective layer of cosmic horror, evoking an elder god feel.
What makes this work though is the performance from our writer, director and star Fischbach. It is mostly a one person show as we see him losing his mind due to his predicament. He is then tormented by voices over this speaker which include Lovelock, Elle LaMont and Mick Lauer. There is also Ava (Caroline Kaplan) and David (Troy Baker). Dave Pettitt plays the father in his flashback. There is a group of children with him, including Simon as a boy who is Isaac McKee. In general, I think everyone works for what is needed.
The filmmaking is where this truly excels. The confined submarine setting creates effective contained horror. Adding Simon trapped in an ocean of blood with a terrifying creature enhances this. The practical and presumed CGI effects look great, lending a surreal quality. The excellent sound design further builds necessary tension. I have to commend since we don’t know what is real or what is in the mind of Simon, it is effectively done.
In conclusion, this is a compelling exercise in contained, cosmic horror, driven by a powerful central performance from Fischbach. While its slow, deliberate pacing and intense focus on isolation might lead to some lulls, the film succeeds in establishing a deeply unsettling atmosphere. It expertly blends psychological terror with Lovecraftian dread, constantly blurring the line between reality and Simon's descent into madness. For fans of atmospheric, character-driven horror and science fiction that explores themes of desperation and the unknown, this film offers a unique and memorable cinematic experience. The second watch solidified this feeling, just wanting a bit more than what we were provided narratively.
My Rating: 6.5 out of 10