Editorials
Five Key Differences Between Markiplier’s ‘Iron Lung’ And The Game
By all accounts, YouTube celebrity Mark Edward Fischbach (better known as Markiplier) appears to have done the impossible.
Not only did he co-write, direct, edit and star in the first truly successful adaptation of an independent horror game without bowing to any of the major studios, but he also managed to secure worldwide distribution for his passion project by enlisting the fans themselves as part of the flick’s marketing – all the while opening doors for fellow industry outsiders to develop their own “impossible” videogame adaptations.
The best part? The Iron Lung movie actually kicks all kinds of ass, with Mark intuitively understanding the inherent differences between film and video games as unique artistic mediums.
That’s why the adaptation features a series of (mostly) minor discrepancies when compared to the source material, despite the game’s creator, David Szymanski, being heavily involved in the screenwriting process. With that in mind,here are five of the biggest changes that the Iron Lung movie made to the original game and why they improve the viewer experience.
For the purposes of this list, I’ll be focusing on major story elements that actively alter the narrative rather than smaller details like how the titular submarine’s design was altered in order to feel more realistic. That being said, don’t forget to comment below if you think I missed any important changes that you think are worth discussing.
One more thing: major spoilers ahead!
With that out of the way, onto the list.
5. A Bloody Ocean of a Threat
In the original game, the blood ocean served as more of a thematic detail than an immediate threat, especially since the SM-13 vessel operated as if it were in regular seawater once it was submerged. The movie changes this up a bit by exploring why researchers are interested in this inexplicable mass of human blood in the first place, while also depicting the liquid itself as a corrosive and possibly mutagenic substance with a mind of its own.
As the film goes on and blood begins to trickle into the vessel, Simon’s body and the submarine itself are altered in increasingly horrific ways, with the final act leaving our protagonist painfully disfigured – though no less willing to face Eldritch terrors in order to complete his tragic mission.
4. The Siren’s Call
Both the original game’s “Frog” monster and the film’s enormous “Elli” are heavily inspired by real-life Anglerfish, so I found it appropriate that Mark decided to depict the antagonist here as more of a Lovecraftian siren luring explorers to their death through lights and sound rather than a mere animalistic predator.
While it’s entirely possible that Simon is hallucinating his interactions with the beast, he may very well be communicating with a god-like entity linked to the Quiet Rapture itself, which is why I think this was a worthwhile addition to the lore.
3. Radiation Exposure
The Iron Lung game never explained why the submarine’s pictures looked so freaky or how the camera was even operational despite being immersed in literal blood, so it makes sense that Mark would decide to correct this oversight by expanding on the technology behind the device itself while also using it to add extra tension to the story.
In the film, Simon accidentally discovers that he’s actually operating a giant nuclear-powered X-ray machine, with the constant exposure to radiation explaining why the vessel continuously overheats. Radiation might also have something to do with Simon’s altered mental state in the latter half of the experience, an idea that leads into my next favorite change…
2. Carbon Dioxide Poisoning
It’s entirely possible to finish watching Iron Lung and accept its story as a literal sequence of narrative events, but I think it’s far more interesting to take the experience with a grain of salt due to the flick’s repeated hints that Simon is slowly losing his mind due to a combination of radiation and Carbon Dioxide poisoning.
Hell, one could even make the argument that the entire second half of the feature takes place almost entirely within our protagonist’s mind, with this alternate interpretation feeling just as (if not more) impactful as a traditionally literal reading of the script.
1. A Glimmer of Hope
I’ve always been a defender of mean-spirited stories about grimdark futures and existential terrors, but while the original Iron Lung could afford to end on a sour note due to it being a gameplay-focused experience where the players themselves provided character backstory and motivation, the adaptation needed something a bit more concrete in order to turn its bleak finale into a satisfying conclusion.
That’s why I appreciate how Mark and Dave decided to turn the original ending on its head by having Simon defy fate and actually achieve something with his suicide mission despite the source material clearly stating that the SM-13 expedition retrieved nothing of value. While there’s no guarantee that Simon’s heroic efforts will lead to humanity’s salvation, the implication that there’s still hope turns Iron Lung into a humanist parable critiquing the cosmic horror narratives that inspired it.
In this day and age, the word “troll” is often used to describe various online nuisances. Yet as abundant and irksome as the modern troll can be, they aren’t usually as fearsome as their mythological counterparts. I’m not talking about the small and gentler versions that have become more common to see in media. No, there are much bigger and scarier trolls out there—and André Øvredal’s movie Troll Hunter is one of the best places to find them.
It doesn’t take long for Troll Hunter (or Trolljegeren) to dump the Blair Witch Project-esque setup and aim for something a lot fresher. The trajectory of the story is augmented by Otto Jespersen’s character Hans, the titular Troll Hunter. The second he comes barreling out of the deep, dark woods and shouts “troll” at the camera, this movie takes a turn into what feels like uncharted territory. Not only subject-wise, but also conceptually.
For fantastical and made-up subject matter in cinema, found footage is a fast way to add a guise of believability. After all, what we accept to be the most crucial aspect of documentaries—the truth—rubs off on pseudo-documentaries, despite our understanding of the pretense involved. That is what Øvredal delivered with Troll Hunter: a movie so convincing that some viewers wondered if trolls really do exist. So, had this been straightforwardly made, it likely wouldn’t have been as effective. Conventional narratives would be more inclined to treat something like trolls as flat out unreal, and never try to convince the audience to think otherwise.
Hans petrifies the three-headed Tusseladd troll.
The viewers, like the characters trailing Hans, are quickly thrown into the deeper end of that extraordinary story. They have to process all this new information while staying on the go. So, although there is no significant amount of meandering, narratively or physically, there is still a good amount of atmosphere, not to mention tension building. It’s never anything frightful, but then again, Troll Hunter isn’t your standard offering of horror; it’s more on the low end of the dark fantasy spectrum. We aren’t ever spirited away to a faraway world—we stay in rather familiar surroundings, as well as dip into those less so. The outcome is a movie where you’re constantly more in awe than in terror.
As fantasy fiction might do, Troll Hunter prefers not to deal with incredulity. There is no time to waste on doubt, as interviewer Thomas (Glenn Erland Tosterud), soundperson Johanna (Johanna Mørck), and cameraman Kalle (Tomas Alf Larsen) all follow Hans around, recording whatever this character is willing to reveal about his bizarre job. Of course, the Troll Hunter himself is not an open book; in that respect, the diegetic documentary fails to fully capture and unpack the more interesting of its two subjects. Yes, all those giant, monstrous trolls are indeed incredible, but understandably, your mind wanders to their pursuer. What kind of person signs up for this gig and then chooses to stick with it for so long?
Reviews have called out Troll Hunter for its lack of character development. In regard to Thomas and his fellow documentarians, that criticism is valid, but bear in mind, they aren’t the focus of the story, either. Meanwhile, Hans is a well-crafted character. At least better than first realized. Before he was introduced, Hans had already grown tired of the troll grind. Fed up with that low compensation for his services, resentful of the bureaucracy, and wanting to expose his employer on a large scale, Hans’ discontent is glaring.
Then there are those finer details about the Troll Hunter, such as that indifference to both the natural splendor of his everyday surroundings and the affections of an obviously smitten colleague, that also suggest some level of despondency. So it is fair to say this movie doesn’t feature any sizable growth for its characters; however, the namesake isn’t underwritten. No doubt, putting a real-life character like Otto Jespersen in that role is partly why Hans is so fascinating—maybe even relatable.
Otto Jespersen as Hans the Troll Hunter.
There is always a small risk whenever using the term “mockumentary” to describe a found-footage movie, as the word could imply humor where there is none. In the case of Troll Hunter, the term’s usage is appropriate. Some folks have claimed the English-dubbed version has the more comedic tone, however, the Norwegian cut isn’t exactly humorless. Apart from the trolls’ absurd appearances, this is a movie where the characters nearly choke on the monsters’ farts, and Christians are like walking targets. Hans’ complete apathy towards everything is another cause of laughter. Overall, the comedy is intentionally dry and inconsistent. Unfunny, though? Absolutely not.
In a movie where endemic creatures are maltreated, as well as disavowed from living freely and peacefully, it’s hard not to notice the ecological message buried beneath the story. In addition to that is the unmistakable political satire. There is this whole business about intrusive and unsightly power lines—like trolls, they’re big blemishes on the land—that leads to what is perhaps the movie’s funniest moment. The scene in question is that one where certain electric lines, the ones secretly being used to keep the trolls at bay, go in a loop and don’t actually send power to any residents. Yet the monitors of said lines don’t find this at all weird. So it stands to reason that Øvredal was having a go at those who accept the government’s doings without question.
Looking past the fact that trolls aren’t actually real, this movie is an enlightening source of information. And not just for international audiences; Norwegians, too, get schooled about their homeland’s own mythology. It’s also evident from everything on screen that Øvredal and his crew were enthusiastic about the topic. The creature designs are the most indicative of that zeal; those imaginative yet myth-accurate manifestations are equally amusing and grotesque. One second you’re laughing at their phallic noses, the next you’re white-knuckling during a hairy sequence. Most surprisingly is how well the trolls’ visual effects hold up after fifteen years. It’s not all spotless, but on the whole, they remain impressive.
Vouching for a mockumentary about trolls isn’t easy, but those who do come around and give it a shot will more than likely be grateful for the recommendation. For Troll Hunter is a real find in that vast and varied genre we call “found footage“.
A bridge troll reaches up for food and finds Hans decked out in armor.
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