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He went on to appear in multiple movies that became well-known, such as Top Gun (1986), The Doors (1991), and Batman Forever (1995) in which he played the caped crusader himself. However, Val Kilmer has a lot more other roles to his name, and some of his movies have been better-received by fans than others, making them a good option to watch for all fans of the actor.
5 Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
Val Kilmer often appears in action movies, but seeing him in comedies is rarer. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang combines both genres in an organic way, and it has Kilmer team up with Robert Downey Jr., creating one of the best buddy cop duos of the 21st century. Downey Jr. plays a thief who’s pretending to be an actor, and Val Kilmer portrays a private eye.
Despite the differences in their lifestyles, they’re forced to work together, which leads to many hilarious and tension-filled moments since the characters have a talent for getting in trouble. Director Shane Black offers a fast-paced movie that contains more than one surprising twist.
4 Val (2021)
One of Val Kilmer’s latest movies isn’t a fiction, but a documentary. As its title suggests, it focuses on Val Kilmer himself and chronicles his long career. It also includes footage that’s never been publicly available before. The movie gives space to Val Kilmer’s developing career and many of his roles. As such, it features interviews and comments from multiple people who worked with Kilmer.
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However, it doesn’t center only on his career, but looks deep into his personal life as well, allowing the viewers the unique chance to look behind Kilmer’s roles and see what he might be like as a person. The movie never becomes boring, and it is one of the underappreciated pieces of Kilmer’s filmography.
3 Tombstone (1993)
Western film was once one of the most prominent movie genres, but by the 1990s, its fame had faded a little, so Tombstone never got as much attention from the audience as the movie would have deserved. The story is set in the town of Tombstone, where judge Wyatt Earp arrives with his brothers to start a new life. Even though he doesn’t want to get involved in any trouble, he loses one of his brothers and decides to become the new sheriff and clean the town from criminals, no matter what it takes. The biggest challenge he faces is defeating Johnny Ringo.
It’s easy to cheer the lead character on, considering he seems outnumbered and outgunned. Kurt Russell in the role gives yet another excellent performance, alongside other stars such as Bill Paxton, Michael Biehn, and Charlton Heston. Val Kilmer doesn’t disappoint as Doc Holliday, Earp’s good friend who’s suffering from tuberculosis. Even though the movie works with a larger number of characters, each actor gets their chance to shine, Kilmer included. The setting of the movie is just as impressive and helps create a realistic atmosphere.
2 True Romance (1993)
Val Kilmer is no stranger to action movies, which this unusual gangster romance proves. The movie centers on the shy Clarence (Christian Slater) who falls in love with the call-girl Alabama (Patricia Arquette) and she for him. Unfortunately, many obstacles stand in the way of their love. The movie has a star-studded cast, including Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt, and, of course, Val Kilmer, whose specific role in the movie will surprise many viewers. In order for Kilmer to become his character, he had to spend eight hours in the makeup room each day.
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The effort paid out, though, as Kilmer draws attention to himself in every scene he appears in. True Romance is fast-paced and unpredictable, making it one of the best movies Tony Scott has ever directed. It has some similarities to Quentin Tarantino’s directorial work, since Tarantino worked on the movie’s script. True Romance manages to smoothly move between various moods, which makes it a must-watch for those who enjoy romance, action as well as crime stories.
1 Heat (1995)
Val Kilmer’s best-rated movie on IMDb is this iconic crime thriller about a professional thief and the detective who relentlessly pursues him. Despite standing on the opposite sides of law, the two have more things in common than either of them would be willing to admit. Heat remains one of director Michael Mann’s most celebrated movies. Robert De Niro and Al Pacino are excellent in the leading roles, and it’s difficult to decide whom will the viewers cheer on more.
Even though the main characters don’t interact as often as the viewers might expect, it only makes the conversations between them that more intense. It’s impossible to miss Val Kilmer in the movie since he plays one of the most important parts, Chris Shiherlis, a member of Robert De Niro’s character’s crew.
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