L&E Movie Review: The Devil Wears Prada 2

L&E Movie Review: The Devil Wears Prada 2

Step Aside Miranda, The New Devil Is In.

*Warning: Contains Spoilers*

What I found most disappointing is that the film somewhat glorified the fashion industry by equating it with the entirety of print media. The fashion industry remains as toxic as ever, perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards, mistreating workers, and pushing overconsumption of clothes. The film managed to gloss over these issues by presenting an even greater “evil” in Artificial Intelligence.

A GOOD MOVIE, BUT A BAD SEQUEL.

 

The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a sequel to one of my favorite films regarding career struggles and the pursuit of passion. When I first heard a sequel was in development, I was excited yet apprehensive. The first movie felt complete, leading me to fear the sequel would benothing but a nostalgia bait. However, after watching it, I felt relieved that this was not the case. Nevertheless, certain elements of the new movie didn’t land well for me.

 

Stripping away the plots of the two films, the sequel could easily have been an entirely different movie. While it utilizes the same characters and setting, nothing in the second film truly centers on the characters themselves. Instead, the plot focuses on saving the “world”, where a familiar character is tasked with rescuing a dying publication. There is minimal character development, with the slight exception of Miranda. Emily’s subplot felt forced in primarily to bring back Emily Blunt. Nigel served little purpose beyond waiting for Miranda's validation. Furthermore, Andy’s love life was dull and could have been cut entirely, as it contributed nothing to the overall story or her character development. I wish the writer had developed the plot point about Andy writing a book about Miranda as this would have offered better character development and made more sense for her as a journalist. While the story pretty much revolved around Miranda’s world, her character was inconsistent, shifting between ruthlessness and emotional vulnerability without clear motivation.

 

Despite these flaws, I would still describe it as a good movie. The subplot regarding the dangers of Artificial Intelligence (A.I) is timely, reflecting how it has impacted the creative and artistic industry as it rendered a lot of jobs redundant due to businesses opting for the cheap and soulless AI-generated works. The detail of the dirty water in Andy’s apartment also subtly hinted at the environmental consequences of A.I. as data centers for A.I. have reportedly consumed so much fresh water that it affected water supply and quality in areas where it is situated. Additionally, the film effectively touched on the tension between traditional publications and social media, noting the public's preference for digital content over print. I also appreciated the mockery of consultants whose advice invariably leads to layoffs and budget cuts. It illustrates how business leaders who are disconnected from their industry can destroy it through greed, sacrificing the quality of their products for more profit.

 

What I found most disappointing is that the film somewhat glorified the fashion industry by equating it with the entirety of print media. The fashion industry remains as toxic as ever, perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards, mistreating workers, and pushing overconsumption of clothes. The film managed to gloss over these issues by presenting an even greater “evil” in Artificial Intelligence.

 

Moreover, I was let down by the regression of Andy's arc. Following the excellent ending of the first film (where Andy returned to her roots in journalism), she ends up at Runway again. Although she is now a features editor, she seems driven by money rather than passion. She could have thrived as an independent journalist or joined a different news publication, yet she continued her stint as an editor even when she was no longer needed. Since Miranda’s PR crisis was resolved halfway through the movie, it felt as though Andy once again sold her soul to the devil in exchange for “clothes, bags, and shoes” and now a luxury apartment.

 

The film also underutilized Emily Blunt, who could have been a much more menacing antagonist. Furthermore, several scenes felt like pure fan service, specifically the interactions between Miranda and Nigel during Milan Fashion Week and the meeting between Emily and Andy at a coffee shop toward the end.

Regarding technical aspects, the lighting and color grading of the original were far superior. It really hurts to see how noticeable the difference is. While I understand that this is a common issue in modern cinema due to the transition from film to digital, however, many other films managed to edit their digital films without sacrificing visual quality. In this case, I guess the editing simply wasn't the best.

Overall, it remains an enjoyable film. I loved the subtle callbacks to the original, and the soundtrack was excellent. I am less certain about the fashion choices in this sequel. It is somewhat ironic that the first film featured better clothing despite the fact that no designers wanted to participate in fear of Anna Wintour’s wrath. Now, despite having her support, the sequel’s fashion didn't quite make an impact in my opinion. Of course there are exceptions, particularly, Simone Ashley’s character, but yeah the fashion choices were not my cup of tea.

Review by: LV of Land & Edifice