Commercial Success and Critical Reviews of The Devil Wears Prada 2
Introduction
The sequel to the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada, directed by David Frankel, has started its run in theaters. The movie brings back the main cast to show how the media world has changed over the years.
Main Body
The story focuses on the professional reunion between Miranda Priestly and Andy Sachs. Andy returns to Runway magazine after many people in investigative journalism lost their jobs. The plot explores the shift from traditional editors to computer-driven trends, comparing classic artistic standards with the influence of wealthy tech investors, represented by the character Benji Barnes. This conflict is highlighted by the struggle between creative expression and corporate budget cuts, which is symbolized by a specific Dries Van Noten dress that Meryl Streep insisted on keeping in the film. From a critical point of view, some experts have argued that the movie is too slow and the dialogue is too simple. They suggest that these choices were made to suit modern audiences who often use a second screen while watching movies. Furthermore, the character of Miranda Priestly is now more human, which some critics believe makes her less powerful than she was in the first film. Despite these criticisms, the movie has been a huge financial success, making $300 million worldwide in its first two weeks, which is much higher than the first film's opening.
Conclusion
The film ends with Runway's future becoming stable, leaving the door open for a third movie if the commercial success continues.
Learning
The 'Contrast' Upgrade
To move from A2 to B2, you must stop using but for everything. Look at how the article connects opposing ideas. This is the secret to sounding more professional and fluid.
1. The 'Despite' Shift Instead of saying: "Some critics hated it, but it made a lot of money," the text uses:
"Despite these criticisms, the movie has been a huge financial success..."
The Rule: Despite + Noun/Noun Phrase. It allows you to acknowledge a negative point and then hit the reader with a positive one in a single, sophisticated sentence.
2. The Comparative Pivot Notice the phrase "comparing classic artistic standards with the influence of wealthy tech investors."
At A2, you might say: "Art is different from tech investors." At B2, you use Comparing X with Y. This shows you aren't just listing things; you are analyzing the relationship between them.
3. Nuanced Adjectives Stop using 'big' or 'bad'. The text uses:
- Huge financial success (instead of 'big money')
- Corporate budget cuts (instead of 'spending less money')
- Stable (instead of 'okay' or 'safe')
Quick Guide: The B2 Bridge
| A2 Style (Simple) | B2 Style (Advanced) | Tool Used |
|---|---|---|
| It was slow but it made money. | Despite being slow, it was a success. | Despite |
| Tech is different from art. | Comparing tech with art. | Comparing... with |
| The movie is good. | The movie is a huge success. | Strong Collocations |