Not all sequels are made equally, but The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a film made with the intention and vision to share a story that directly reflects the world today. This week I will be sharing my review and analysis of The Devil Wears Prada 2. If you’ve been contemplating watching it, please read this to help inform your decision. This film has a much more impactful message than you may believe and is worth your attention.
Just like the original film, the opening scene hooks you. The film begins 20 years later, with Andy flitting around the city heading towards a journalism awards banquet. In the decades past since Andy left Runway, she has become much more confident and sure of herself and talents. When she wins a prestigious award at the banquet, this validates her decades of growth. Unexpectedly, as the announcer calls her name, her boss lays off her writing team in a text. This and the impassioned speech Andy gives after receiving the award set off a chain of events. Andy becomes the new features editor at Runway, and must also save the magazine from its newest scandal. Viewers are thrown back into the world of Runway, but things are little different.
Media, but especially print media is dying. Runway no longer releases a print magazine every month, and must succumb to the monotony of short form videos and clickable trends to keep readers. Andy, Miranda, and the rest of the team need to convince the world that fashion media deserves its attention while maintaining the magazine’s integrity and standards.
*****SPOILERS AHEAD****
Death of Media
The major theme of the Devil Wears Prada 2 is the death of media and more specifically impactful media that reaches people beyond the surface. There are so many points in the film where you can see Miranda or Nigel visibly cringing at the work Runway puts out. In one scene, Nigel notes how he used to be able to go to Africa for four weeks for photoshoots, and now he’s lucky if he can go to a photography studio in the city for a shoot. No one wants to invest in the work it takes to put out quality material.
Throughout the film, scenes reflect what we se in media today. Media outlets no longer want to publish stories that make readers think and analyze an idea or a situation. Everything published is either a short comment on a current event or a clickable article with a title like “10 ways to ” or “5 places you need to”. Many of the writers today don’t know how to craft a strong story, or are being advised not to write them.
Long Term Effects of Mentorship
Andy and Emily had two different experiences in terms of the mentorship they received from Miranda. There’s a point in the first film where we see a shift in the hierarchy between Andy and Emily. Emily loses a bit of her fierceness, and Andy finally finds her footing, and soars from there. Miranda takes Andy under her wing, and views Andy as a younger version of herself. Additionally, Andy left on her own while Emily felt forced to leave Runway. The relationships Emily and Andy had in the beginning of their careers had profound impacts on the plot of the second film. Because Miranda pushed Emily out of Runway, she always harbored resentment towards her.
Later, when Andy reveals to Miranda that she and Emily convinced her billionaire boyfriend Benji to buy Runway, this reveals Emily’s true intentions. Emily has always wanted Miranda’s role in Runway, and now she has the opportunity, so she takes it. This scene is the culmination of the years of abuse Emily endured from Miranda, and her reward for this abuse is being pushed out. The way Miranda treated Emily decades before almost led to her demise. Instead of mentoring her and finding a role for her in Runway, she tossed her aside without a second thought. It’s so important to have supportive mentors, but it’s also important for mentors to realize the power they hold only lasts so long. Miranda didn’t foresee Emily taking over, and she could have lost everything.
Wealth Controls the Media
At every point in the film, the fate of Runway is controlled by some insanely wealthy person. At first it’s Irv Ravitz, then his son Jay. When Benji attempts to buy the company, he controls Runway’s future. Finally, when Sasha Barnes agrees to purchase Runway and its parent company, she holds the power. When wealthy persons see companies as investments rather institutions, there’s no real vision. Their vision is about maximizing profits in Jay’s case or expanding the role of AI in Benji’s. We need to be watchful of billionaires acquiring businesses, especially media outlets, because oftentimes they have a hidden agenda or don’t understand the company’s history and purpose. They force their goals onto the business, and with time it becomes unrecognizable in the worst possible way.
Today we see this in some media outlets that have lost their candor and to be honest backbone. Instead of telling honest and sometimes ugly stories, media outlets only want to appease a small percentage of people by writing stories that make them look good.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 is completely different film from the original, but it still deserves respect. The sequel mirrors today by showing us what happens when we forget long form media, and let dwindling attention spans and billionaire interests take over.
Though the sequel has many strengths, it lacked in costume design and color grading. The pieces worn in the first film were stunning, and fitting for a fashion publication. The sequel on the other hand featured a lot of suits and outfits typically seen in a corporate office. Whimsy and extravagance was lost. Additionally, there were some scenes that looked so flat. There was a warmth missing.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 was a wonderful film, that told a story many don’t want to accept. The media is changing, and not for the better. Thank you all for reading this week’s post. Make sure to subscribe to be notified of new ones. Stay sharp 😉