Mark Fischbach’s “Iron Lung” is a partially gripping piece of cosmic horror that falls flat on occasion. At times it can be intense, while other times boring.
Fischbach, an internet personality of more than 10 years, directed, funded, and starred in this movie, an adaptation of David Szymanski’s 2022 video game of the same name. This is an admirable feat, however he is clearly too used to the content he typically makes when watching this movie.
The film begins with Fischbach’s muddied narration over heavy sound effects of an event named “the Quiet Rapture,” where numerous stars and planets disappeared. The set design and special effects are on full display, which both create a grounded, indie feel that adds to the film’s charm.
Fischbach’s “less loud and more loud” style of presentation is effective for YouTube, but not for the screen. Instead, it fails to fully develop his character, the prisoner Simon. He has been tasked by his handlers, members of the organization Coalition of Iron, with piloting the camera-equipped “Iron Lung” submarine into a literal ocean of blood, photographing his discoveries.
Speaking of cameras, the movie is obsessed with Simon’s face, particularly toward the end, which works against the movie’s intensity. Furthermore, the Iron Lung’s camera is described as using an X-ray, however it damages the COI members with the force of a nuclear meltdown. One must wonder how a CT scan can be on the same level of damage as Chernobyl.
The COI’s inconsistent motivations may confuse one upon viewing and re-viewing. Even if Simon is on a suicide mission, telling him they have more information and don’t need his findings seem like a recipe for disaster. Their systematic moving of the goalposts, complete with Simon’s temperamental actions, does heighten the movie’s intensity though.
What also heightens the intensity are some of the effects present throughout the movie. The X-ray camera is well-done, and there is great dramatic effect found in its discoveries, despite it having a mind of its own. Simon’s loss of sanity bleeds into the movie through dream sequences and a microphone attached to the Iron Lung, making the viewer wonder what is real and what is not.
For as tight and effectively claustrophobic the movie is, it has a problem standing still once any action takes place. Those action-packed scenes are rather short too, finishing earlier than one would want them to.
The score, particularly toward the end, adds to the movie’s ethereal, otherworldly feel. Its avant-garde stabs of strings and drums make for a sonically dense final product, though occasionally it is too loud for Simon and the COI to be heard. One must appreciate how it replicates creaking sounds as well, foreshadowing the movie’s conclusion.
Mark Fischbach’s “Iron Lung” may stand up on its own, though it is best enjoyed with Szymanski’s video game in mind upon watching. Effective and repetitive in equal measure, this movie is on the brink of being a truly exceptional work.
OVERALL
RATING: 3 out of 5
WORTH A WATCH?
Yes, but you should see the video game first
WHERE
Century 16 until Feb. 18
