By Jan Wahl—
Movies are subjective; we should all be critical thinkers. On the way home from the movie theater, my friend Adam Kent and I had quite the battle of tastes when it comes to The Devil Wears Prada 2.
Jan Wahl: What made The Devil Wears Prada so enticing and memorable was the bitchy woman at the top, Miranda Priestly. Her acerbic wit made the character both believable and fun. That is what is missing from this sequel. Miranda is now softened, vulnerable, and often passive.
Adam Kent: You’re right, Jan, and we expect consistency of a character in sequels; but this is fundamentally a different movie. The first was about a rat race in a world of demigods; the second is about how women can use brains and style to climb to the top.
Jan Wahl: I hear you, Adam. Many people will disagree with me and be glad that this familiar character is empathetic. But I have worked for women like this who have clawed their way to the top, and, baby, they don’t change! What did you think about the fashion?
Adam Kent: The fashion was glitzy and mixed in the Europhile connection to la moda, but it seemed to take a back seat to the movie’s plot.
Jan Wahl: We are really disagreeing on this one—the fashion is the main reason to see this movie on the big screen. Fabulous haute couture with exceptional details; that’s what makes this real eye candy. But what we also need to address, Adam, is the important subtext of AI changing our lives.
Adam Kent: Yes, that’s why I say this is a different movie. This is a movie about a superheroine taking on this change that is gobbling up journalism and so much more. You mentioned all the changes in broadcasting you saw in your time. This is no different; it’s a technological revolution, and the question this movie poses is: Is there room for human-generated creativity in writing, and, in the future, even art?
Jan Wahl: That’s the best writing in this movie. It reminded me of experiencing camera people, engineers, and others disappearing as the evolution of broadcasting technology continues. AI is definitely winning the war on journalism, creativity, and plain old jobs. I love that the movie explains this to the next generation.
Jan Wahl is a Hollywood historian and film critic on various broadcast outlets. She has two Emmys and many awards for her longtime work on behalf of film buffs and the LGBTQ community. Learn more at www.janwahl.com
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Published on May 7, 2026
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