HOWZAT

"If people go and see this and like it I'll make the second one straightaway," he said.

But the Daily Mail pleaded for this not to happen.

It said: "This embarrassing piece of self-parody ends hubristically with the threat of not one but two sequels starring the most annoying character and least welcome survivor, the junkie rock star."

It also highlighted an "uncharacteristic number of loose ends", with storylines and characters "brushed under the carpet" to fit the ending.

The paper concluded: "Ritchie is still taking his cues from Quentin Tarantino. But he has clearly run out of invention, if not sheer nerve."

However, The Sun called the film a "corker", having reviewed it last month.

Describing RocknRolla as "absolute class" and Ritchie's most polished work to date, the review said: "There were guns, lashings of violence, some cracking laddish humour and killer crayfish thrown in for good measure."

Ritchie's wife Madonna brought A-list glamour to the red carpet when the couple walked arm-in-arm into the Odeon West End cinema in Leicester Square.

Wearing a short black Stella McCartney dress, the superstar singer arrived just minutes before RocknRolla was screened.

Speaking before his wife arrived, Ritchie - who hit fame a decade ago with Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels - described his latest film as an "indulgence".

He said: "It's the kind of film I like. I've made a film for me.

"My inspiration came from the fact that London has changed so much in the last 10 years."

Ritchie said there was a lot of money in the capital and an increasing influence of Russian billionaires.

He said: "The film reflects the big guys and their big properties - they haven't been touched by the credit crunch."

Thandie Newton, 35, who plays a sexy accountant in the criminal underworld, also attended the premiere looking glamorous and every inch a Hollywood star in a white dress which was cut away at the front to reveal her legs.

Madonna had a star role in Swept Away, but the film and her performance were panned by critics.

Ritchie reverted back to gangster films with Revolver, but it was also badly received.

He recently stamped on suggestions his marriage was over with a public show of support at his wife's 50th birthday party.

Madonna is due to perform in Amsterdam tonight on the latest leg of her Sticky And Sweet world tour.

Explore Film

• Film Reviews

• Trailers

• DVD

• London Film Festival

Editor's choice

• The 100 Best Films of the Decade
• 70 facts you didn't know about Marvel
• The 50 Biggest Movies Of 2010