Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway reprise their iconic roles as Miranda Priestly and Andrea Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada 2. Photo: 20th Century Studios.
Everyone has had a crappy boss.
It’s someone that everyone can relate to, whether you’re stacking shelves at a supermarket or being an assistant to the editor of a world-famous fashion magazine.
Of the two examples I’ve listed, one is personal and the other is the plot of the 2006 smash hit, The Devil Wears Prada.
Twenty years after the original film’s release, the editor from hell, Miranda Priestly, returns to the big screen to remind audiences everywhere that their jobs could be worse in The Devil Wears Prada 2.
Miranda, played once again to perfection by Meryl Streep, is on the brink of retirement yet continues to set fashion trends worldwide.
However, unlike when print media was king, her magazine, Runway, is slowly losing steam and needs to keep a hold of a major sponsor headed by her former assistant, Emily (Emily Blunt).
Now Miranda must rehire another of her former assistants, Andrea (Anne Hathaway), to help her salvage the magazine. However, due to her incredible level of narcissism, Miranda does not remember her former protege.
The two butt heads as they attempt to secure sponsors and advertisers in a medium that is slowly fading away.
And with the new conflict set, we have our legacy sequel!
I’m going to rip off the band-aid quickly; the sequel is not as good as the original.
It’s not as clever in its writing; it’s not as quotable or as funny as its predecessor, and there is a slight sense that the return to this franchise was solely financially motivated.
While there are a lot of negatives to throw in quick succession, I do think it’s more of a compliment to the original than a diss to the new film because, despite the stark side-by-side comparison, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is still a very enjoyable watch.
The biggest positive is the returning cast. As they were 20 years ago, they are still fantastic as a group of snarky trend setters.
Streep and Hathaway still carry the narrative, but it’s Stanley Tucci’s Nigel and Emily Blunt’s Emily that round out the core group perfectly. All four actors are having fun and their awkward chemistry is still so much fun to watch.
Unlike the previous film, the dynamic isn’t a boss vs their employees; instead, it’s the veterans against the up-and-comers. It’s a logical new dynamic to take a sequel to The Devil Wears Prada.
Unfortunately, as is the case with most sequels that come out 20 years after the original, viewers will make comparisons even if it’s just subconsciously.
It will be these comparisons that hold the movie back from reaching the status of the first movie. The first film introduced interesting dynamics and put us in the shoes of someone stuck between sticking to their roots and trying to be successful, all while under the strict gaze of a terrible boss.
The sequel is less focused on its themes and, as a result, feels like a best-of album or a reunion tour by an artist you already know and love.
It’s not bad by any means; however, when you compare it to something that was a pop culture juggernaut and has only grown in public opinion over the past two decades, people are bound to be disappointed by how safe it all feels.
Let’s put it this way: Imagine, 20 years ago, you were given a Prada handbag worth three grand, and for the last two decades you’ve loved and fawned over that handbag. Eventually, sometime later, you are gifted a $350 handbag from Strand. You’re still happy with the Strand bag; it’s well-made, it does the trick, but it’s not Prada and it’s not vintage.
Now ask yourself, which bag are you taking with you on a fancy night out or in this case, which movie are you going to rewatch on a night in?
Ultimately, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a good time. Did it need to be made? Probably not, yet it’s here anyway, so why not enjoy it for what it is, a chance to see iconic characters bicker on screen once again.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 is currently showing in cinemas across the country.
Original Article published by Jarryd Rowley on Region Canberra.
