'The Devil Wears Prada 2' review: A sequel just as good, that's all

MANILA, Philippines — Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci all return for "The Devil Wears Prada 2," where fashion journalism, and media in general, gets time on the runway.

The sequel sees Hathaway's Andy Sachs back at Runway magazine after 20 years when she and her fellow journalists get laid off.

Sachs, the seasoned journalist, rants about the importance of journalism in the digital age and it goes viral.

Runway, meanwhile, is facing issues of its own, with the latest being a PR nightmare involving Andy's former boss, Miranda Priestly (Streep).

Andy saves the day and does damage control as Runway's new features editor.

Tucci's Nigel Kipling helps in appeasing advertisers, among them former co-worker Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt), who is now a Dior executive.

Problems only get bigger for Runway as they try to navigate a scrolling world circling around content and clicks.

It took several years for people to realize how much of a cultural milestone the first film — based on a 2003 novel of the same name — was. It gave a wider look at the fashion industry, anchored by Streep's scathing performance as Miranda, which earned her another Oscar nomination.

With respect to returning director David Frenkel and screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna, they manage to paint the sequel with nostalgic presence that doesn't feel overwhelming while surprisingly giving depth to the literal grind of writers, editors, and journalists.

A big focus of the sequel is the decline of print media, which is struggling to keep up with technology, clearly favored by the billionaires who own media companies.

It's entertaining to see attempts to keep Miranda on a leash, but nothing can stop one of fashion's biggest names from making digs with just her looks and choice words.

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One celebrity cameo is the unlucky recipient of one of these "compliments," while other icons like Donatella Versace, Heidi Klum, Law Roach, and Naomi Campbell get away with brief screentime.

But it becomes clear how significant the journalism industry is, at the very least to Andy and Miranda who go lengths to keep their place in careers they clearly love doing.

The resolution at the end is the best-case bandaid solution any media company can get, but one hopes the same can happen in reality where layoffs are announced every quarter and readership dives as months pass.

Fans of the original will enjoy seeing Hathaway, Streep, Blunt, and Tucci sliding back into their characters as if it were yesterday, particularly Tucci's Nigel who is the heart of Runway and finally gets his due.

Costume designer Molly Rogers does her best to match the looks envisioned by her mentor Patricia Field, the sequel switching from Paris to Milan for the grand finale.

It might take another few years for people to realize just how much "The Devil Wears Prada 2" reflects the tribulations traditional media faces today.

Thankfully, journalism in all its forms remains alive today. Much of the credit goes to writers dedicated to tell stories — be it banking news and foreign affairs to coveted September issues, until the last person has turned the page.

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