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Flatland (2007) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Flatland (2007) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2007 · 98 mins · English
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Starring
Chris Carter, Thomas Colby, Mark Carter, Jeff Sanders, Simon G. Hammond, Greg Trent

A tale of math, physics, dimensionality, philosophy, religion, and war. Flatland is a two‑dimensional world populated by living geometric figures—squares, triangles, circles, and more. A Square, an attorney, is thrust into conflict as the circular leadership imposes martial law while a Sphere, CEO of Messiah, Incorporated, arrives from an unknown third dimension.

Animation Cast, crew & box office
On this page (9)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (5)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 The book behind the movie
  7. 7 Movie threads
  8. 8 Movies like Flatland
  9. 9 Every angle
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5 main characters · contains spoilers

Flatland Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Flatland (2007), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • A Square

    played by Ladd Ehlinger Jr.

    A Square is a principled attorney who journeys from defending his clients to confronting the implications of higher dimensions. He is curious, stubborn, and deeply family-focused, often balancing duty with a longing to understand a reality beyond Flatland. His encounter with Spaceland ignites a transformative quest that tests his loyalties and beliefs.

    • ⚖️ Lawyer
    • 🔎 Curious
    • 🧭 Dimensional explorer

  • A Sphere

    played by Simon G. Hammond

    A Sphere is the charismatic CEO of Messiah, Inc. who introduces A Square to Spaceland and advocates the gospel of the Third Dimension. He is persuasive, ambitious, and capable of orchestrating reality-altering ideas for a larger agenda. His actions drive the plot's pivotal push toward cross-dimensional understanding.

    • 🎭 Visionary
    • 🔑 Gatekeeper

  • President Circle

    played by Greg Trent

    President Circle leads the Great Southern Republic and embodies its commitment to order and tradition. His reactions to A Sphere's claims spark political chaos and reveal the fragility of a democratic system under threat. He represents the authoritative voice that resists change even as evidence of a higher dimension emerges.

    • 🏛️ Authority
    • ⚔️ Conflict

  • B Square

    B Square is A Square's brother and a clerk to President Circle. He warns of danger and becomes entangled in the fallout from the Senate meeting. His loyalty to family and the political system places him at the center of a city-wide crisis.

    • 🗳️ Insider
    • 🧭 Loyalty

  • Senator Chromatistes

    Senator Chromatistes leads the Chromatist movement, pushing for legalization of Chromatism and challenging the state's color-based governance. He becomes a focal point of political polarization and civil unrest, embodying the push for identity and freedom against a rigid regime.

    • 🗳️ Opposition
    • 🎨 Identity

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:10

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Setting

Where and When Does Flatland Take Place?

The setting of Flatland (2007): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

3 days before year 3000

The events unfold in the days leading up to the celebration of year 3000. Tensions escalate as a Senate meeting triggers riots and martial law across the city. The impending millennium casts a backdrop of urgency and upheaval over political and social order.

Location

Flatland, Spaceland, Great Southern Republic, Northern Kingdom

Flatland is a two-dimensional world populated by sapient polygons. The story expands into Spaceland, a three-dimensional realm introduced by A Sphere. The Great Southern Republic and the Northern Kingdom frame a charged political landscape, with disputes over Chromatism and Irregulars shaping daily life and policy.

  • 🏙️ 2D society
  • 🧭 Political tension
  • 🌌 Dimensional exploration

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:10

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3 major themes

Flatland Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Flatland (2007) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Dimension

    A Square's encounter with the three-dimensional Spaceland challenges the Flatland worldview. The pursuit of higher dimensions reframes reality, knowledge, and the limits of perception. The narrative uses dimensional travel to question what is truly real and who gets to define it. It also raises the stakes of introducing new ideas into a conservative society.

  • Power & Control

    The escalation from political debate to riot and martial law shows how authority clamps down on dissent. Government figures, including President Circle, push to maintain order even as the state uses force to suppress opposition. The clash between tradition and reform highlights how power preserves itself at the expense of civil liberties. The story suggests that control can destabilize a society more than it stabilizes it.

  • Identity

    Chromatism advocates seek legal recognition for personal color expression, challenging social norms. The state's response to Chromatists reveals the fragility of accepted identity categories in Flatland. The plot uses this conflict to explore belonging, difference, and the costs of fear-driven politics. A Square's journey intersects with these debates, tying personal growth to political consequences.

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:10

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Character & theme questions

Flatland Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Flatland (2007): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is the movie set?

Flatland is set in a two-dimensional world inhabited by living geometric figures like squares, triangles, and circles. The story expands to include Spaceland, a three-dimensional realm introduced by A Sphere. The primary political conflict takes place in the Great Southern Republic, with the Northern Kingdom representing an opposing force.

  • flatland
  • spaceland
  • setting
  • two-dimensional world
  • great southern republic
  • northern kingdom
Q2

What time period does Flatland take place in?

The events unfold three days before the celebration of year 3000. This impending millennium creates a backdrop of urgency and upheaval, with political and social order already strained by tensions over Chromatism and Irregulars.

  • year 3000
  • time period
  • millennium
  • flatland era
Q3

What does the Dimension theme explore?

The Dimension theme centers on A Square's encounter with Spaceland, which challenges the Flatland worldview. The pursuit of higher dimensions questions what is truly real and who gets to define reality. It also explores the risks of introducing new ideas into a conservative society.

  • dimension
  • three dimensions
  • spacialand
  • reality
  • perception
  • higher dimensions
Q4

What is the Power & Control theme about?

The Power & Control theme depicts how authority clamps down on dissent, showing President Circle and other government figures using force to maintain order. The story suggests that heavy-handed control can destabilize a society more than it stabilizes it, as martial law is imposed during political chaos.

  • power
  • control
  • government
  • martial law
  • president circle
  • authority
  • censorship
Q5

What does the Identity theme represent?

The Identity theme revolves around Chromatists who seek legal recognition for personal color expression, challenging the rigid social norms of Flatland. The state's response reveals the fragility of accepted identity categories and explores belonging, difference, and fear-driven politics.

  • chromatism
  • identity
  • color
  • social norms
  • belonging
  • difference
Q6

Who is A Square?

A Square is a principled attorney in Flatland who journeys from defending his clients to confronting the implications of higher dimensions. He is curious, stubborn, and family-focused. His encounter with A Sphere and Spaceland ignites a transformative quest that tests his loyalties and beliefs.

  • a square
  • protagonist
  • attorney
  • lawyer
  • flatland character
Q7

Who is A Sphere?

A Sphere is the charismatic CEO of Messiah, Inc. who introduces A Square to Spaceland and advocates for the gospel of the Third Dimension. He is persuasive and ambitious, capable of orchestrating reality-altering ideas for a larger agenda.

  • a sphere
  • messiah inc
  • three dimension
  • flatland character
Q8

Who is President Circle?

President Circle leads the Great Southern Republic and embodies its commitment to order and tradition. He resists change and represents the authoritative voice that fights against the evidence of a higher dimension, even as his reactions spark political chaos.

  • president circle
  • government leader
  • authority
  • great southern republic
Q9

Who are the Chromatists?

The Chromatists are advocates seeking legal recognition for personal color expression in Flatland. Led by Senator Chromatistes, they challenge the state's color-based governance and become a focal point of political polarization and civil unrest.

  • chromatists
  • senator chromatistes
  • color
  • movement
  • protest
Q10

How are Flatland and Spaceland related?

Flatland exists as a two-dimensional world, while Spaceland represents a three-dimensional realm that becomes accessible to Flatlanders through spiritual or dimensional travel. A Sphere introduces A Square to Spaceland, fundamentally altering his understanding of reality.

  • spaceland
  • three dimensions
  • two dimensions
  • flatland world
  • dimensional travel
Q11

Why is Chromatism controversial in Flatland?

Chromatism is controversial because it challenges Flatland's rigid social hierarchy based on the number of sides a figure has. Color expression threatens established identity categories and the political power structures that rely on these divisions, making it a volatile political issue.

  • chromatism controversy
  • social hierarchy
  • color politics
  • flatland society
Q12

What kind of society is Flatland?

Flatland is a two-dimensional world populated by sapient polygons where social status is determined by the number of sides a figure has. It features political tension between the Great Southern Republic and Northern Kingdom, with disputes over Chromatism and Irregulars shaping daily life and policy.

  • flatland society
  • 2d world
  • polygons
  • social hierarchy
  • flatland civilization

Movie threads

More Movies Like Flatland, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Flatland tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Philosophical Sci-Fi Thrillers like Flatland

High-concept science fiction that explores profound ideas through tense, political conflict. Discover movies like Flatland that blend science fiction with deep philosophical inquiry. If you enjoyed the tense exploration of dimensionality and societal control, these films offer similar mind-bending concepts and high-stakes ideological conflicts.

  • mind-bending
  • philosophical
  • tense
  • revolutionary
  • anxious
  • oppressive
  • Tone: tense, philosophical
  • Pacing: fast, thought-provoking
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically involve a protagonist's paradigm-shifting discovery that challenges the fundamental nature of their world, leading to conflict with an oppressive system and a personal crisis of belief.

Why they belong together: They are grouped by their shared focus on using speculative fiction frameworks to tackle weighty philosophical themes, combined with a tense, fast-paced tone and complex, politically charged storytelling.

Flatland movie poster

Flatland

2007
The Philadelphia Experiment movie poster

The Philadelphia Experiment

2012
The Matrix Revolutions movie poster

The Matrix Revolutions

2003
Skylines movie poster

Skylines

2020
Parallel movie poster

Parallel

2018
Philadelphia Experiment II movie poster

Philadelphia Experiment II

1993
Doors movie poster

Doors

2021
Synchronicity movie poster

Synchronicity

2016

Reality-Collapse Stories like Flatland

Stories where the discovery of a higher truth shatters a fragile world. Find more movies like Flatland where the fabric of reality unravels. These films feature protagonists whose understanding of the world is violently expanded, resulting in chaotic collapse and heavy emotional journeys with ambiguous resolutions.

  • anxious
  • mind-bending
  • existential
  • chaotic
  • fearful
  • oppressive
  • Tone: anxious, mind-bending
  • Pacing: fast, chaotic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The central pattern involves a stable, often oppressive world order that is fractured by a revolutionary truth, forcing the protagonist to navigate the chaotic dissolution of everything they knew while grappling with the trauma of awakening.

Why they belong together: They share a specific narrative arc where a revelation triggers existential and societal collapse, creating a consistent vibe of anxious dread, mind-bending concepts, and heavy emotional weight leading to an ambiguous conclusion.

Flatland movie poster

Flatland

2007
Hello World movie poster

Hello World

2019
Coherence movie poster

Coherence

2014
Disclosure Day movie poster

Disclosure Day

2026
Forgotten Experiment movie poster

Forgotten Experiment

2023
Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die movie poster

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die

2026
After Before movie poster

After Before

2017
I’m Not a Robot movie poster

I’m Not a Robot

2023

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Movies Like Flatland

Similar movies to Flatland: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

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The Flat movie poster

The Flat

1968
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Dimensional Loop movie poster

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Birth: A War of Two Worlds

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To: A Space Fantasy movie poster

To: A Space Fantasy

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Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000 movie poster

Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000

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Metropolis movie poster

Metropolis

1927
Fantastic Planet movie poster

Fantastic Planet

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Every angle

Flatland (2007) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Flatland in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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