The Devil Wears Prada 2 movie review: A worthy, if not ‘groundbreaking,’ sequel to a classic

An entire generation has grown up watching, loving and taking inspiration from The Devil Wears Prada. The film, released in 2006, went on to achieve cult status in subsequent years. And so, when the sequel, The Devil Wears Prada 2, was announced, the news was welcomed with excitement and scepticism from ardent fans of the original. It is never easy to match up to a classic with sequels. The fact that the makers managed to bring back the majority of the original cast and crew - including the lead cast, director and writer- back on board for the sequel helped to keep the continuity. But the burden of expectation was huge right from the time the filming of The Devil Wears Prada 2 began, with social media flooding with BTS sequences from the film set. Some felt overexposure would kill the excitement way before the film even released, but instead, the images and some aggressive marketing before the film’s release have only piqued everyone’s curiosity about the film. The good news is that The Devil Wears Prada 2 delivers to a great extent. But if you channel your inner Miranda Preistly, part 2 of the iconic film is not ‘groundbreaking’.

If the first film gave a sneak peek into the world of fashion and publishing, the second part talks of the evolution of the press in the time of social media. Publishing in 20 years has taken a hit, and The Devil Wears Prada 2 is conscious of that fact and thus brilliantly incorporates the nitty-gritty details that come along the way while running a magazine in today’s world of digitisation.

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What’s the story of The Devil Wears Prada 2

Andy Sachs is now a well-known, award-winning journalist who writes human interest stories. An unexpected layoff and fiery speech post about corporates and profitability during an awards night by Andy goes viral. Meanwhile, Runway magazine has been firefighting after promoting a fake brand in its magazine. To regain their credibility, the owner of the magazine hires Andy back, this time as a features editor, to write ‘serious’ articles that can add more credibility to the fashion magazine. Of course, Miranda is not convinced that Andy is fit for the job, but in the two decades since the two worked together, a lot has changed. Miranda still has the sass, but now is more open to adapting to the changing times (she even hangs her own court). Andy finds herself in a familiar territory yet uncomfortable under Miranda’s (in)famous icy gaze. Nigel still remains an important figure at Runway, almost like a second in command to Miranda. Meanwhile, Emily has now moved to Dior as the communication head, who calls the shots about what should go and not go in the magazine as a primary advertiser.

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The magazine is evidently struggling to stay relevant and sell at a time when digital media has slowly permeated the collective consciousness of humans. Will Andy be able to change Runway’s course and save her and others' jobs, while reinstating the magazine’s reputation, forms the rest of the story.

What works

Writer Aline Brosh McKenna and director David Frankel throw in references from the original into the new film and merge them into the present scenario. Since the film has the original actors reprising their roles in the sequel, there is a sense of relatability for the viewers. Andy is now more confident, yet nervous around Miranda. Miranda is more conscious of what to say and what not to say, yet her sarcasm and sass remain intact. Nigel, too, remains brutal with his takes. And the actor too slip into their roles seamlessly, almost as if not a single day has gone by since the first film came out. Anne Hathaway is charming as Andy, someone you can walk up to and share your problems with. After the first film, one would have wanted Andy to evolve into this confident woman who is charming and strong-willed. Who is easily approachable but also someone who seeks validation secretly. And Andy is just that in part 2. Meryl Streep continues to play the steel, frosty editor to perfection.

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The scenes involving the two ‘Emilys’ - Emily Blunt and Anne Hathaway- are such a joy to watch. They are limited, of course, but Blunt and Hathaway have an easy chemistry on screen, and it's always a delight to watch them perform together.

I do wish the two had more scenes together and as a trio along with Miranda.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 very effectively talks about the changing times in the media. Gen Z is now part of the workforce, and millennials are finding it hard to stay in touch with the changing times. Boomers, meanwhile, are struggling with social media. The film brilliantly highlights the pains of keeping print and human interest stories relevant at a time when the average human's attention is limited to a reel on social media.

As a journalist, I had a lot to resonate with. The fleeting triumph of writing a meaningful, original piece—only to see it buried by a lack of clicks—is a struggle shared by both Andy and every journalist who aspires to be more than a content creator. The film beautifully highlights the imposing threat of AI, talks of the growing authority of influencers, the perennial urge of the management to cut costs, the hunger for more views and traffic on the website and keeping fashion writing and journalism alive amid viral gimmicks.

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Look out for the cameos, including that of Lady Gaga's- some very prominent names from the world of fashion, casually stroll around across the screen adding more heft to the star studded film.

What does not work

While the film gives an inside view of how media houses are functioning, adapting and making desperate attempts to stay relevant in today’s time, it's a theme that perhaps may not resonate with all. As a journalist, I could relate to a lot of aspects, but the film in totality may not leave a defining impact on the audience at large.

Andy's romance track with Peter (Patrick Brammall) seems unnecessary to the plot. Justin Theroux, as the maverick billionaire, seems too loud in the world of couture and almost like a caricature.

The film is also more in-depth and goes easy on humour. Much like Miranda, the makers are conscious of what is politically correct and what’s not.

The plot too isn’t very ‘groundbreaking’, and the narrative too moves ‘at a glacial pace’ - at least in the first twenty minutes.

Final verdict

Despite the flaws, The Devil Wears Prada 2 works primarily because of its actors. They, once again, make you privy to the world of fashion, media and the complexities that come along. Of course, the first part was fresh and one of a kind and hence iconic. Expectations have doubled up since then, and perhaps that’s why the sequel isn’t as fun as one would think it to be. Yet, it manages to strike a chord, for it adapts to present times and gives a fresh perspective into the world of publishing.