Artful rather than Artistic.

Rating: 3/10 (6 December 2011)

Pretentious and derivative. Overly-stylized violence distilled to its basest essence -- neither visceral nor intellectual -- that, it doesn't so much shock as desensitize.
The director,Nicolas Winding Refn, hasn't a creative -- or an original -- bone in his body; mimics Brian De Palma, Martin Scorcese, Quentin Tarantino et al.
Ryan Gosling does his impersonation of the remote, existentialist anti-hero. But instead of appearing preoccupied and intense, he just looks 'blank'; not too unlike a damaged adult Opie. (Ron Howard in Andy Griffith Show).
So many plot holes that a Learner Driver could easily negotiate his way through them all. The child serves no purpose, other than provide a saccharine-sweet metaphor.
Cinéastes, avoid.