The Devil Wears Prada 2 Review: Sharp, Stylish & Satisfyin

It’s been over a decade since Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) walked away from Runway - and Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep). Now Andy is a respected journalist, comfortable in her own skin, and living a low-key life with her husband Benji (Justin Theroux) and their kids. But the media landscape has shifted beneath everyone’s feet. Print is gasping, digital is king, and Runway is fighting for relevance.

Enter Miranda, still terrifying, still wielding “That’s all” like a whip. She’s trying to steer the magazine through a merger with a tech conglomerate led by Kenneth Branagh’s suave Stuart. The catch? The only way to secure Runway’s survival is a partnership with luxury brand Élan, run by none other than former assistant Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt, sharper than ever).

So Andy is pulled back into Miranda’s orbit - not as a second assistant this time, but as a consultant who must renegotiate her past, her principles, and her relationship with the iron lady. Meanwhile, Stanley Tucci’s Nigel is still the wise, campy heart of the office, and we get new faces like Lucy Liu’s digital-obsessed COO Sasha Barnes. Old wounds, new loyalty tests, and a battle for the soul of fashion ensue.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way: The Devil Wears Prada 2 is not the original. That film was lightning in a bottle - a perfect comedy-drama about ambition and identity that turned a generation into quotable fashion snobs. This sequel is a different beast, and thankfully, it knows it.

Director David Frankel returns, but the tone is noticeably less bubbly. There’s a melancholic undertow here, a sense that the fashion industry - and the characters - have aged and evolved in ways that aren’t always pretty. Miranda is still a master of the universe, but she’s also a woman navigating a world that no longer bows as deeply. Meryl Streep delivers every line with the same glacial precision, yet she allows cracks to show - a flicker of vulnerability during a tense boardroom scene that rivals anything in the first film.

Anne Hathaway’s Andy is no longer the naive grad. She’s confident, grounded, and fiercely ethical. Watching her go toe-to-toe with Miranda again - this time as an equal - is genuinely satisfying. The reunion with Emily (Emily Blunt is comedy gold, stealing every scene with her clipped, panicked delivery) feels earned, not forced. Their dynamic adds a layer of messy, unresolved history that rings true.

The script smartly addresses the elephant in the room: how does a legacy print magazine survive TikTok, influencer culture, and climate-conscious consumers? It doesn’t shy away from the moral compromises required. There’s a subplot about sustainable sourcing vs. profit that could have felt preachy but lands because it’s personal for Andy. Branagh’s Stuart is a smooth corporate villain, while Lucy Liu’s Sasha represents the soulless data-driven future. It’s a bit on-the-nose, but it works.

Where the film stumbles is pacing. The middle act drags slightly, as Andy and Emily’s reunion requires a lot of “I’m sorry we were terrible to each other” conversations that feel redundant. Some of the fashion montages lack the wow factor of the original’s famous Paris sequence. And Justin Theroux’s Benji is underused - he’s basically a supportive husband prop.

Still, the final act delivers. A climactic fashion show where Miranda must choose between selling out and holding onto her vision is genuinely tense. The ending doesn’t tie everything up with a bow - it’s messier, more realistic, and leaves room for the characters to breathe.

Pros

• Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway’s chemistry is still electric, now with added mutual respect
• Emily Blunt steals the show as a corporate shark who is both ridiculous and terrifying
• Smart, timely commentary on the media and fashion industries’ digital reckoning
• Stanley Tucci’s Nigel remains a delightful oasis of wit and warmth
• A mature, emotionally resonant climax that doesn’t sacrifice character for nostalgia

Cons

• The middle act meanders with too much exposition and repeated apologies
• Some new characters (notably Branagh’s) feel thin and predictable
• The fashion spectacle doesn’t reach the iconic heights of the first film’s Paris sequence
• Justin Theroux, Tracie Thoms, and other returning supporting players are largely wasted

The Devil Wears Prada 2 isn’t trying to recapture the magic of 2006 - it’s trying to ask what happens when that magic fades. And in that, it mostly succeeds. It’s a smarter, sadder, more grown-up sequel that will satisfy fans who’ve also grown up. Not everything works, but when Streep delivers her final “That’s all” with a hint of weariness, you’ll remember why this franchise matters. Go see it with a friend who still knows all the lines from the first film - you’ll have plenty to talk about over drinks afterward.