Finally, the ending is not only different from the novella, but muddled. In the film, A Square and his family try to flee to the Northern portion of Flatland, where Chromatism is accepted, but he is detained when the Northern Armies strike. He then loses his eye, which becomes a part — or container — of Pointland, not unlike a dream he had of Pointland, or the earlier one he has of Lineland. It’s a nonsensical ending that tries too hard for the relevance of 2001: A Space Odyssey, which is especially inapt because much of the film before it descends into an easy didacticism wholly antithetical to Kubrick’s great film.
The DVD comes with an autographed thank you from Ehlinger, but the disk itself has only the film and a brief trailer. Even though the film is low budget, couldn’t Ehlinger have included a commentary by himself and others? It would have at least made the DVD, if not the film, worth a bit more, on a level of interest. In this day and age, not doing so is a bit of a ripoff - small budget or not.
On a real world note, the slim case DVD package the DVD comes in also has a bad holder for the disk. The disk is far too small and the disk cannot stay in its holder. While a worthwhile effort, Flatland: The Film takes on too much, misses where the book succeeds, and its ending is just bad.
But, Ehlinger does show a flair and unique style. If he continues in animation, here’s hoping his next film is about the same quantum leap up from this one that Spaceland is from Flatland. If it is, then we’ll have a film truly worth all the praise this one has gotten.
Article comments
1 - Flatlander
Wow! I couldn't agree more with your assessment of the film! And trust me, Flatland: The Movie is the real deal. I saw it at MathFest in San Jose earlier this month and it was fantastic. 500 mathematicians were enthralled. It changes a few things from the book too but you get used to it and they help make the story work while preserving Abbott's thoughts on dimensions. Right now you can only buy the educational site license version, but the home edition DVD comes out this fall, FYI.
2 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
I'm very confused. Isn't Flatland a neighborhood in Brooklyn? I grew up in Brooklyn and could swear we talked about Flatland every now and again...
3 - Dan Schneider
I'll try to check out the Movie some time, but even the trailer was more professional that the Film's.
Ruvy. It's FLATBUSH, not Flatland.
4 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
You're talking to a Brooklyn boy with a map and magnetite in his head - there was not a Flatlands neighborhood, but there is a Flatlands Avenue. And I grew up in a sub-section of Flatbush in the days when we still heard nasty stories about the Flatbush Water Company...
5 - Spacelander
How curious that a reviewer in Austin, Texas, the originating home town of the competing "Movie", should be negative about "The Film." I take this with a grain of three-dimensional salt.
6 - Dan Schneider
Spacelander:
Conspiracies are grand, aren't they?
7 - 3DorDie
I notice you didn't have much to say about 'The Movie'. I didn't like the movie as much as the film. The Movie shows Flatlanders riding in vehicles (severe departure from the book). And, the Movie characters appear to be 2D moving in 3D space (severe departure from the whole idea of 2D space). Females promoted to polygonhood (another departure from the book). For the amount of time you spend haranguing The Films departures from the original, The Movie is a worse offender. And, what do you mean that 'the disc is far to small'? All DVDs are the same size. I enjoyed The Film immensely. I found The Movie to be disturbing. So what, The Movie has a bunch of has-been actors. I'm in it for the story. In that respect, The Film delivered far beyond The Movie. I also find it interesting that this seems to be the first current release you have ever reviewed. I'm inclined to agree with Spacelander's conspiracy theory. I think that you have severely damaged your credibility as a reviewer.
8 - Mike_Mike_Mike
DorDie, This is a review of 'Flatland: The Film,' NOT 'Flatland: The Movie.'
The reviewer also "didn't have much to say" about 'The Bourne Ultimatum' in this review, because, alas, this is a review of 'Flatland: The Film' and not 'The Bourne Ultimatum.'
I mean I guess he could be like you and just make up things about it and claim to have seen it based solely on the few clips available on YouTube, but instead he actually reviewed the film he said he was going to review. Sheesh. What nerve!
And since when is Martin Sheen washed up?
9 - Ladd Ehlinger Jr.
This is a message from Ladd, the filmmaker behind Flatland the Film:
In regards to the comment made by Spacelander and 3DorDie: while I appreciate fans and satisfied customers of Flatland the Film for their support, I ask everyone to please constrain from being aggressive towards reviews and comments made by individuals who do not share your taste in film... the multi-verse is, after all, multi-dimensional.
I am happy to acknowledge the existence of the Movie, which caters to a different audience entirely and thus should not be seen as competition to Flatland the Film, rather as an opportunity to entice an even broader range of people into reading the novel.
Having read Mr. Schneider's review I do, however, want to clarify that the voice of Senator Chromatistes was meant to sound like Ed Wynn the character actor, not a "gay person." I can not agree that homosexuality has a certain sound, or that the film was in any way attempting to caricature homosexuality.
Thank you everyone! Here's hoping that "The Movie" does well in its home release.
Ladd Ehlinger Jr.
10 - 3DorDie
Mike, I understand that this is a review of Flatland The Film. However, Dan mentions The Movie in the review and compares the two throughout. It is from that reference point that I made the comments that I did. Secondly, what makes you think that I haven't seen The Movie? And last, I feel like Martin Sheen hasn't done anything worthwhile since Apocalypse Now, with the possible exceptions of some appearances in Babylon 5 and some of his work in West Wing. These are just my opinions.
11 - Dan Schneider
1) I've no connection to either film, but love the novella. Sphereland, the novel by Burger, is also a pallid imitation of the original novella. But, I have no connection to the Dutchman.
2) I only mention the Movie because the Film's website does, and most reviews compare them because of their similarities. This is not the first time that two films w similar subject matter came out very close in time.
3) I write, 'From online clips, and descriptions, the shorter film version of the book seems more faithful to the original, in narrative, and also more convincing in terms of look.' Thus, there is no attempt by me to claim I saw the other film- but enough to compare the animation (which is superior if the trailers of the movie are to be believed), and what I have read of that film's fidelity to the novella vis-a-vis the film's.
4) As for 3D space. The film opens with the very representation of #D space, as A Sphere and A Hexagon look at each other and see a line. This is explained in the novella as Flatland having microscopic 3Dnes, although undetected by its creatures.
5) As for Sen. Chromatistes sounding like Ed Wynn. Well, given his flaming colorations and high pitched fey voice, and his wimpy demeanor, it's a bit disingenuous to try to state that this wasn't an attempt to portray a gay character- for the good or ill. La Cage Aux Folles would be proud.
6) I do not compare the films throughout, merely in a single paragraph.
7) Like almost all films that miss the mark, this film's undoing is the screenplay. As I stated, you do not mess too much w a classic, and the updates to this film will date it far more than the original book has dated it.
The point is that a review has to be based on intellectual objectivity, not emotional outbursts, which to many readers and responders easily fall into. But, it is a worthy start and I hope Ehlinger keeps going, because there are too many Shreks and Cars and other CGI crap out there.