Guy's Rocknrolla panned by critics (From Haringey Independent)

Guy's Rocknrolla panned by critics

6:32am Wednesday 3rd September 2008

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Guy Ritchie's latest gangster film failed to impress critics, with one labelling it his "third turkey in a row".

During the build-up to Monday night's world premiere of RocknRolla, the British director's movie was being seen as his make-or-break effort after Swept Away and Revolver.

Set in London's criminal underworld and featuring property scams and Russian mobsters, the film stars Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson and Thandie Newton.

But first night reviews suggest it did not hit the mark.

According to the Daily Mail, the characters were identical in all but name to those of his previous gangster capers such as Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Revolver, and the "convoluted" plot was "horribly familiar".

Its "dated air" was brought to the attention of the audience when the opening voice-over claimed that London property prices were going up and up.

"This is Guy Ritchie's third turkey in a row, after Swept Away and Revolver," the paper's first night review said. "It is a pitiful attempt to recapture the success of his first two movies, Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch."

Ritchie, 39, revealed at the premiere in London that he has already written the sequel to RocknRolla. "If people go and see this and like it I'll make the second one straight away," he said.

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.

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