Parents' Guide to iStart a Fan War

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Common Sense Media Review

Emily Ashby By Emily Ashby , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 8+

Jack Black spices up otherwise lackluster special.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 8+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 8+

Based on 3 parent reviews

age 8+

Based on 11 kid reviews

Kids say that the episode received mixed reviews, with some praising its humor and good messages while others found it boring and inappropriate for younger viewers. Overall, fans appreciated the presence of Jack Black and the comedic elements, though concerns were raised about certain language and content.

  • mixed reviews
  • humor appreciated
  • content concerns
  • strong characters
  • good messages
Summarized with AI

What's the Story?

In ISTART A FAN WAR, Carly (Miranda Cosgrove), Sam (Jennette McCurdy), and Freddie (Nathan Kress) are off to WebiCon, where they host a Q-and-A session with fans and inadvertently ignite a firestorm between the "Seddies" (who believe that Freddie and Sam are hiding their affection for each other) and the "Creddies" (who back a romance between Carly and Freddie). Unfortunately, the fallout disrupts the conference and, even worse, threatens Carly's hopes for a relationship with Adam (Max Ehrich). Meanwhile, Spencer (Jerry Trainor) engages in his own war of sorts when he arrives at WebiCon dressed as an avatar from his favorite online video game and encounters his character's arch-nemesis, Aspartamay (Jack Black), setting off an epic battle between the two warriors.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 3 ):
Kids say ( 11 ):

iCarly's devoted tween following surely will want to tune in for this latest installment in the series, and for the most part, there's no reason they shouldn't. If they're familiar with the show, then they're used to content that departs from the reality they likely know. These characters enjoy freedom and star status that most kids can't relate to, but it's clear the intention is just plain fun.

By far the high point of this otherwise fairly lackluster movie is the addition of Black, who brings his trademark eccentric humor to the talented cast. There's no reason to worry about your tweens tuning in, but because the show integrates with a partner website that kids may want to visit (if they haven't already), it gives you a good reason to start a discussion with them about using the Internet safely.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the Internet. What rules does your family have for using the Internet? What do you like to use it for? How can it be used as a learning tool? How does the Internet make stardom a reality for more people?

  • What are the dangers associated with the Internet? Have you ever known anyone who was cyberbullied? How does social networking change how you relate to people? What safeguards exist to keep kids safe online?

  • Kids: Did you like this movie? How did it compare to the series itself? Do you think this movie contributed positively to the iCarly story?

TV Details

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