Iron Lung: A Spoiler-Free Review

I'm currently writing this an hour after walking out of the theatre and, admittedly, I'm a little sore from being so tense for such a long period of time. From the very beginning, the movie creates tension - though maybe that was self-inflicted on my part, as I was also admittedly rather anxious. This was the first time I watch a horror movie in theatres, after all. But maybe the anxiety I felt in the build-up to the feature presentation worked in the movie's favour.

Much like the game it is based on, the viewer is confined with the protagonist. This, of course, works to the film's advantage, as it was made to make you claustrophobic; even to those who might not typically be as susceptible to such a fear. The lighting, the music, the camerawork, the set, and the acting all does a fantastic job at making you feel the tension and the rising dread as time ticks by. At no point does the film release this tension with cheap humour or a simple jumpscare. It is constantly building, and as more information is revealed, there are still more questions to be asked.

Iron Lung is vague and mysterious but not frustratingly so. It gives you just enough information to keep you interested, but not enough to feel at ease. There is little in terms of action in this movie, but that does not make it boring. This is not an action movie, this is not a thriller - this movie's biggest aspect is the suspense and the psychological horror of being trapped and confined and not being promised the one thing you ask for.

I genuinely believe that this movie is best experienced in a theatre setting. If a theatrical screening is available in your area then I cannot stress enough that you should watch it in a theatre. It is so, so worth it. Even if you don't know or care about Markiplier - if you enjoy watching horror movies, then do yourself a favour and watch this. You won't regret it.