On May 1, movie theaters debuted The Devil Wears Prada 2, a sequel to the highly popular movie The Devil Wears Prada. Known for its beautiful fashion and investing characters, The Devil Wears Prada has a 75% Rotten Tomatoes rating and a 76% Popcorn rating (Rotten Tomatoes), making it an obvious fan favorite. However, does the sequel come close to the magical vibe the first one had?
The Devil Wears Prada 2 follows Andrea Sachs (Anne Hathaway) as she lives in Manhattan, New York. Andrea, or Andy, was a praised writer for The Vanguard; that is, until she is fired right before an award speech. The scene that proceeds is a disaster: Andy gives a speech about her and her other cowriters getting fired, landing her on the news. However, she doesn’t realize that her spectacle on TV would get her noticed by others.
Of those, Irv Ravitz (Tiber Feldman) takes a liking to her. Previously, the magazine he owned, Runway, was in deep controversy; they released an article promoting fast fashion (without realizing it!). Ravitz felt that Andy’s sudden stardom might be the key to getting back on track, leading Andy down a path that was far too familiar to her.
Twenty years ago, Andy had worked as the second assistant to Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), the editor in chief of the critically acclaimed magazine. With mesmerizing scenes in the original movie such as the cerulean blue belt speech, Harry Potter, and Vogue ones, Miranda Priestly has always made her presence known.
Despite Andy and Miranda’s rough background, Andy goes back to Runway. From there, she, Miranda, and Nigel (Stanley Tucci) have to fight to protect the magazine.
Characters
In the original movie, Miranda Priestly was known for her cunningness and ability to execute the perfect magazine, making her extremely controversial but inspiring. However, in the new movie she loses that. She becomes more reserved and is even seen making huge mistakes, which, for her, is virtually impossible. While these flaws were likely added to make her character more realistic, it took away from the magic her character originally had.
Andy Sachs, originally a nervous but clever girl, has a boost of confidence in the new movie. Since her last stint at Runway, Andy learned how to stand up for herself. This was very wholesome to see since she was such a good person and she finally learned how to stand her own ground.
Nigel’s personality stayed the same as the original movie: sarcastic, charming, and funny. He is as committed to Runway as he originally was.
Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt) kept her polished, professional, and sarcastic attitude, making her the same loveable character she was in the previous movie. Additionally, we see a softer side of her, making her more humane than what first comes to the eye.
Amari (Simone Ashley) is a new, young face to the Runway staff. Similar to Emily’s character, she’s loyal to the magazine and ready to put her perspective into it.
Jin Chao (Helen J. Shen) is Andy’s assistant. Known for being quirky and very “gen-z”, she’s a walking example of how older people in Hollywood think younger generations behave. While she does have some good moments, her character is very forced and unrealistic, demonstrating a fake trope that isn’t found in real life.
Fashion Review
Due to the movie’s reputation for top fashion, an assessment is required:
The best outfits were Andy’s mosaic dress, Emily’s Dior shirt with black trousers and vest, and Andy’s blue dress. The worst outfits were Emily’s NY apple shirt with the bleached blonde hair, Miranda’s purple shirt and orange jacket combo, and Emily’s overalls. Overall, the fashion in the movie was rather disappointing. While there were some beautiful pieces, the majority of the outfits aren’t comparable to the ones from the original movie. Miranda’s outfits, especially, were disappointing.
Conclusion
The Devil Wears Prada 2 definitely succeeded the stereotype that sequels aren’t good. While it may have not been as great as the original film, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a must-watch feel-good comedy. That’s all.
