Iron Lung: Mark did it, and so can you.

Editor's Note: I have been deeply excited for the release of this film, as I believe this business model and release strategy are the future of our industry, and Markiplier is a legend. I was completely caught off guard this weekend, however, when I realised that the film was actually coming out in the UK alongside its US release! Thankfully, I know a girl – Amy-May Trudgeon is an immensely talented Actress, Voice Artist, Performer and MakeUp Artist (and Dancer too!) – some of you may know her as the Jet2 Holiday Lady on TikTok – and I also have the distinct honour of calling her a close friend. Thanks for saving my a**, Amy-May!

Iron Lung is a self-funded, small-budget horror feature film by YouTuber Mark Fischback (also known as Markiplier). Wait, don’t leave yet! I know YouTubers haven’t had the greatest history with film releases, but this movie is so far from those that have come before it. With a budget of just $3M, which has now been Septupled (that’s right, seven times the original budget!), Mark's debut into cinema has caused a cultural wave that will not only leave big leagues in the industry questioning everything they knew, but is sure to bust doors open for those who want to follow in his footsteps.

As a fan of Marks for the past twelve years, I am biased to say the least. However, I went into the screening on Sunday evening with an open mind, an unbiased friend, and my reviewer glasses firmly on. By the end of the movie, two points came to mind. Firstly, Mark's fans have excellent cinema etiquette (which was thoroughly encouraged by Mark himself online), and I had just watched an okay feature film, but an amazing small-budget feature film debut.

There are two ways to look at Iron Lung as a movie. One is from my friend’s perspective. He had no knowledge of Mark as a creator, no idea of the budget or the work Mark himself put into the film. My friend enjoyed it, especially the plot twist and gallons of blood. However, he noted the somewhat inconsistent pacing, muddy audio (although Brighton Odeon isn’t known for good audio) and, at times, obvious scripting choices.

 I, on the other hand, went in aware that it not only had a small budget, but that Mark starred in, directed and edited most of the film himself. I had seen him play the original video game three years ago, fall in love with it, and not even hesitate to give David Szymanski a chance to turn it into something more. Thanks to the Distractible podcast, I heard about all the obstacles he overcame just to get it on 1 screen, let alone Four Thousand (and growing). So, with all of this considered, it was amazing, and I felt incredibly inspired by his process! If you love practical FX done in perfect harmony with VFX, experimental lighting, rumbling scores, rich and goopy set design, and a man progressively losing his mind, then you will be well fed when it comes to Iron Lung.