REVIEW – The Devil Wears Prada 2 is exactly what I thought it was going to be.
For months, I’ve been saying how terrified I am to see the film. In my opinion, why mess with perfection? (Money, obviously).
And even though I am giving the film a measly two out of five stars, I still think that for fans of the original, it’s worth going to see.
Watch the video above.
It’s no secret The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a cash grab.
Hollywood hasn’t tried to hide the fact the priority today is capitalising on the innate human desire for nostalgia rather than taking any kind of creative risks.
But as far as nostalgia-baiting, cash-grabbing, legacy sequels go, it could have been much worse.
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The movie dives straight in, wasting none of the audience’s time on character development, which is one of the strengths of the sequel, but also one of its biggest weaknesses.
Along with the returning cast, The Devil Wears Prada 2 introduces some new characters, none of which are heavily fleshed out.
In some instances, it works; we can easily accept Kenneth Branagh as Miranda’s doting new husband and Simone Ashley as her sharp new assistant, but where it falters is in Andy’s new love interest, Peter.
Aussie star Patrick Brammell takes on the role, and through no fault of his own, it just doesn’t land.
Without giving too much away, aside from the meet-cute, we really don’t get an insight into this character.
He’s been introduced to provide some kind of romantic storyline, but we don’t get to spend enough time with the character to care about him or the relationship.
But this is just part of the bigger issue that makes the film fall flat; they’ve simply tried to cram too much in.
The movie starts on a completely different storyline than it ends on, with a few too many side-stories woven throughout.
It seems there’s a reason the plot has been kept under wraps. It’s because the plot doesn’t really exist, and if it does, it’s far too confusing to explain in a two-sentence synopsis.
Part of what made the first film so good is the fact it was focused on being a biting satirical take on the fashion industry.
The sequel loses that focus, instead trying to rush us through another wild journey with these characters without ever having anything to say.
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But it’s not all bad news. While I may not be impressed by the movie itself, I loved the original film, and I can’t deny the pleasure of getting to step back into that world for two hours – even if it was a fast-paced, crammed catch-up.
The original film’s core cast all return for the sequel, with each in a completely believable stage of their life 20 years later.
When it comes to the characters, no big swings were taken; the creators were smart enough to know this franchise means too much to audience members to mess with the essence of who each of them is – although, I must say they lost me closer to the end of Emily’s storyline.
There are cutting remarks, jaw-dropping looks, a killer soundtrack, and plenty of throwbacks. I recommend doing a rewatch of the original so you don’t miss anything.
It feels familiar without ever feeling out of date, a balance very few, if any, sequels have managed 20 years on from the original.
Even though I highly doubt The Devil Wears Prada 2 will be quoted or rewatched as much as its predecessor, I do think it will be a massive box office hit with a generally good response from fans.
While it may not be a good movie, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is incredibly nostalgic.
Nostalgia triggers the pleasure centres in our brain to release dopamine, so if you’re looking for a feel-good flick to help release some stress and anxiety, this is the one for you.
In my honest opinion, though, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a movie that never needed to be made.
But, since Hollywood insists on capitalising on our love for nostalgia, the outcome is a good one-time watch for fans of the original film.
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