Having enjoyed watching the original film many times over the past two decades, I wondered if the sequel could measure up to its predecessor.

I needn’t have worried.

The Fabulous Four (Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci) slip effortlessly back into their roles and deliver stellar performances. Their chemistry remains the film’s greatest strength, carrying both its humor and quieter moments of reflection.

While Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly is still as condescending as ever, time has subtly reshaped her power. She now inhabits a world that does not bend automatically to her will. She no longer tosses her coats onto assistants’ desks but now awkwardly struggles to hang them herself. Runway’s human resources department has finally caught up with her, issuing public reprimands for comments that once would have gone unquestioned.

Anne Hathaway’s Andy Sachs has earned her stripes as a respected journalist. In the film’s opening scene, she rises to accept a prestigious award while receiving a termination notice via text. Shortly afterward, Runway CEO Irv (Tibor Feldman) persuades her to return to the magazine to help restore its credibility and steer it into the digital landscape. Andy’s return feels more like a reluctant reckoning with a world she once escaped.

As artistic director (Nigel), Stanley Tucci once again provides the film’s emotional warmth and humour. Between deliberating whether models should wear their purses cross-body or not, he wistfully recalls the era of month-long, expense-paid fashion trips. His nostalgia grounds the film in the bittersweet realization that glamour—like relevance is fleeting.

Emily Blunt delivers razor-sharp one-liners while thriving in her elevated role at Dior and navigating a budding relationship with billionaire tech entrepreneur Benji Barnes (Justin Theroux). Cameos from Lady Gaga and fashion personalities, including Law Roach and Donatella Versace, bolster the supporting cast.

The initial reunion felt slightly clunky, but it didn’t take long for the film to find its rhythm, and more importantly, its voice. So much has changed since 2006: social media now dictates trends, digital platforms dominate attention spans, and artificial intelligence threatens industries built on creativity and taste. The film subtly captures all this anxiety while keeping us well-entertained.

The fashion is spectacular. Lavish production and costume design sweep us between New York City and Milan in a parade of glamour and excess. It is glitzy, sparkling, and every bit as decadent as a Devil Wears Prada film should be. Yet beneath the couture lies something more reflective. This is also a story about aging, reinvention, and the uneasy realization that even the most powerful people must eventually adapt — or risk becoming obsolete.

Highly recommended!