Going into the theatre, I was worried that this sequel wasn’t going to live up to the original. Though coming out, I was pleasantly surprised. Before I saw it, I heard many complaints about costuming, plot and references to the first movie, but I found that it maintained the charm of the first without being too repetitive. Overall, I found that the plot and conflict of “The Devil Wears Prada 2” was relevant enough and found many ways to separate itself from the first.
With every sequel, there will always be references to the first movie. I found that the way that they used these references was fresh and not overplayed. This also comes down to how different the two movies can be. We see most of the original cast at a different stage of their life with new jobs, and others replacing some of the iconic positions characters held in the first. The premise of this movie was also more focused on the journalism aspect, which helped separate the plots of the two.
I found that this sequel really shone with its casting. They made sure to keep most of the original actors, while including an extremely large number of cameos and trending personalities. Preexisting characters were portrayed mainly the same, with some minor developments that fit with their age and occupation. Seeing Andy Sachs I do feel that they were able to grasp a wider audience with their casting, though in some moments it felt very cameo-surprise heavy.
Another great aspect of this movie was how they played into the humor. Lighthearted jokes about trends, society and the media were not skimped upon, and I found that it really made this movie more relatable to many. With this, there is a clear message towards the importance of true journalism in all work fields and how underfunding, misguidance and corrupt leadership can hurt that. It shows how much having a strong, relevant message can help drive a movie.
Worried about how “trendy” the sequel would be, “The Devil Wears Prada 2” hit it home with the chaotic energy and an extremely relevant topic in society.
