My Friend Bernard (2007) User Reviews

Low Budget Drivel

[warren-postma-1 · 1/10 · 1 September 2013]

The animation is low budget, drug-induced, and insane. It looks like it was produced by amateurs, hurriedly, while they were learning how to do 3D animation at a low end career college. With today's tools and technology, animation that looks creepier than the 1980s ray- traced early animations is hard to excuse.

The plot is bizarre, unwatchable, painfully bad, and inexplicably weird. The story has no dialog, only an annoying narrator who explains everything. And now we will do this. And now we will go over here. This means that now we have to do this. And now we have to do this. And so on. Are you bored out of your skull yet?

Oddly enough, my two year old loves it.

Bernard the Polar Bear

[nammage · 7/10 · 29 September 2014]

The animation is good. The story revolves around a young boy who is probably 3 or 4 years old, his name is Sam and he's afraid of everything. However, the main focus of the film is on Bernard the polar bear, and two penguins (Eva and Lloyd).

I think the main problem people have with this film (based on the review here and elsewhere i've read) is that it's narrated but I thought it was okay. It reminded me of children sitting around at storytime listening contently at the reader telling them an educational story, or perhaps a fairytale. This film is a mixture of those two elements.

It's educational in that it teaches young children that you don't need to be afraid of what you do not know. It's okay to explore your feelings, and perhaps seek assistance from someone (like a parent, or friend) if they need to. It's also a fairytale because it has sort of a dreamlike state to it, magic, etc., that allows the story to be told in a nice way.

There's some funny moments throughout such as the way Bernard fishes by flatulence. The penguins and their (what seems to me) accidental antics, or curious ones; and when Sam appears infrequently, he's always scared of the most minuscule of things, at times. There's also a lizard in this...I forget his name. Zack, I think. Also, an old man dressed as Santa Claus (could be Santa Claus, not quite sure). A dog with a giant teacup that can take you places, and fish who are sly like a fox.

Oh! and a dragon! Who doesn't love a dragon?

I thought it was a fun film. It may run on a bit long but it was all worthwhile, I feel, in the end.

7/10

-Nam

Life Changing Film

[marxstarthejester · 10/10 · 22 June 2022]

This is one of the greatest pieces of filmography I have ever seen. Never before have I witnessed the adventures of such interesting characters, with developed personalities and wonderful backstories. With the best animation in any piece of media ever before seen, this is definitely something you should put on your watchlist. Sam and Lloyd easily sell the movie in my opinion. Best LGBTQ+ representation I've ever seen.

Very bad

[esbirdnerd · 10/10 · 27 January 2022]

Animation is poorly done, theres no talking in it just a narrator who just talks about whats happening. The plot is strange and nonsensical, and the child looks like a walking flesh monster. Don't watch this stupid movie.