As expected, Disney has launched a social media assault for “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”
As Donald Trump would say, no one’s ever seen anything like it before.
Twitter is bursting with thousands of posts from accounts very excited to see the sequel to the 2006 way before they’ve seen it. The hyperbole is beyond just being purple prose. From the sound of it, you’d think “Prada 2” is “The Godfather” and “Citizen Kane” rolled up in one mink muff.
The lavish social media praise is genius on Disney’s part. They’ve held real reviews back until noon on Wednesday. They ran full page ads on Sunday without any critics quotes, which is very unusual. The first weekend box office will be big, no matter what anyone says.
But real reviewers — including members of the Critics Choice association — who saw the movie in New York and Los Angeles last night were not so lavish in their evaluations.
What’s going to happen? A first flush of seeing familiar characters in a recognizable setting gets the adrenaline running, but then reality sets in.
Scott Mantz, usually a cheerleader for movies (and a big Beatles fan) says: “Sorry to say, but THE DEVIL IS BORING. Yeah it’s good to see the characters again after 20 years, but their arcs aren’t as fully realized as they were in the 1st movie, and the story just wasn’t strong. It never really engaged me. It’s ok & it has its moments, but THAT’S ALL.”
Courtney Howard wrote: “Gird your loins: I didn’t love #TheDevilWearsPrada2. Outside of its well-intentioned spotlight on the flailing state of journalism, the narrative fails to resonate. Felt like a series of thinly connected story whims. No suspense, but beautiful sequins everywhere.”
Tomris Laffly wrote: “Didn’t expect parts of #TheDevilWearsPrada2 to feel like a documentary on the painful state of journalism. Glad that a mainstream film unfolds around this urgent reality. Overall, I’m more muted in my reaction than my peers. Still, it’s nice to see you again, cerulean sweater.”
Scott Menzel: “The Devil Wears Prada 2 reactions feel incredibly muted.
The general consensus seems to be: it’s fine, story is timely but this sequel isn’t really necessary or worth the wait. Of course, no surprise that the cast is great because all the main actors are Hollywood icons and are doing the heavy lifting with ease. I guess it’s a good sign that no one appears to outright hate it, but very few seem genuinely blown away by it.”
finally, a New York spy praised the stars but told me: “It’s fine, not great. The problem is they make Miranda more likable. Her one liners that were so funny in the first one are not present here. It’s just not the Event I was hoping for.”
I’ve also gleaned that there are a lot of cameos in the movie, including Lady Gaga, who recorded four new songs for the soundtrack. Her fans will no doubt add to the bottom line. Gaga is always value-added.
It’s notable that Anna Wintour’s cameo was cut out of the movie after Vogue and Conde Nast invested so much in the film — even putting it on their cover with Wintour. Anna’s survival instinct is off the charts. Maybe she knows something we don’t.
