Val Kilmerhad already made a name for himself in the ’80s. Following his debut inTop Secret!(1984), he appeared in the sci-fi rom-comReal Genius(1985) before playing one of his most iconic characters. Kilmer’s role as Iceman inTop Gun(1986) was so iconic and impactful, thatTom Cruise refused to doTop Gun: Maverickwithout him. Kilmer then went on to star inWillow(1988), and followed that up with a performance as Billy the Kid inGore Vidal’sBilly the Kid(1989), the first of 12real life people Val Kilmer played in movies.
So, by the time the ’90s arrived, Kilmer had already earned himself a reputation as a versatile actor. That reputation and his impressive roster of movies only grew to unimaginable heights in the 1990s. BarringTop Gun,Willow, andKiss Kiss Bang Bang, all ofVal Kilmer’s 10 best moviescame out in the ’90s. That decade established him as the bona fide movie star that people know him as today. Even though his most famous movie came out in ‘86, for Kilmer, the most formative decade in his career was the ’90s.
Dead Girl
Cast
Dead Girl, released in 1996, follows Ari Rose, a struggling actor caught between reality and fantasy, as he becomes entwined with a mysterious woman named Helen. Their mutual obsession leads to a complex web of desire and confusion, blurring the lines between dreams and reality.
Val Kilmer’s most minor role in a 1990s feature movie is in Adam Coleman Howard’sDead Girl. The bizarre film follows a failing actor, played by the director himself, who romances a woman he sees in his dreams and kills her after she refuses to kiss him on their first date. If any self-awareness was intended, that islost in the self-serious tone adopted by the movie, which morbidly explores the man’s domestic life, including a sex life, with the woman’s corpse. The misogyny, the lack of humor, and Val Kilmer’s weird role, all further the incoherence inDead Girl.
The Island of Dr. Moreau
The Island of Dr. Moreau is a science fiction horror film directed by John Frankenheimer. It stars Marlon Brando as Dr. Moreau and Val Kilmer as Montgomery, who are on an isolated island where Moreau conducts genetic experiments that transform animals into human-animal hybrids. The film explores themes of scientific ethics and humanity’s relationship with nature.
This lesser-known horror sci-fi film by famous thriller director John Frankenheimer, has a stacked duo leading it, between Val Kilmer and Marlon Brando. While it has its moments,The Island of Dr. Moreauis too messy to work. It’s unintentionally funny with the costume designs and the props.
Hollywood Desperately Needs To Remake This Disastrous ’90s Sci-Fi Horror Movie Starring Marlon Brando
“The Island of Dr Moreau” (1996), starring Marlon Brando, is one of Hollywood’s worst productions, however it desperately needs a modern remake.
The climactic violent bit feels overdone, while interesting moments of character buildup and exposition feel poorly written. Kilmer and Brando play off each other well, but seem to be in a competition to see who can be more ridiculous of the two with their performance, especially Brando with his weird costume choices.
Batman Forever
After Tim Burton’s plans for a third Batman film fell through, director Joel Schumacher took over the franchise with 1995’s Batman Forever. Replacing Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer stars as Bruce Wayne opposite to Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones, who play The Riddler and Two-Face, respectively. Batman Forever also marks the first time Robin appears on the big screen since Burt Ward reprised his Boy Wonder role in 1966’s Batman: The Movie.
While it is one of the lowest rated live action Batman movies that was disliked by viewers and critics alike,Joel Schumacher’sBatman Foreveris a messy moviethat is tonally inconsistent. The balance between campy comic book shenanigans and the dark and sinister criminal world of Gotham isn’t executed well.
1966
80%
62%
1989
77%
84%
1992
82%
73%
1995
41%
33%
1997
12%
16%
2005
85%
94%
2008
2012
87%
90%
2022
However, for many avid comic book fans,BatmanForever’s depiction of Batman and Bruce Wayneis highly accurate. Despite which side of the debate viewers may lie on, no one can deny that Kilmer was the perfect choice to play Bruce Wayne and Batman. He masterfully balances the two personas.
The Real McCoy
The Real McCoy is a 1993 crime thriller featuring Kim Basinger as Karen McCoy, a renowned bank robber seeking a fresh start after prison. Confronted by a corrupt parole officer, former accomplices, and her ex-husband, she is forced to return to crime to rescue her endangered son.
Kim Basinger plays an ex-con expert thief, and wants to leave her life of crime behind when she gets out of jail, but is forced to take on one last job. Somehow, this movie, where Kim is supported by Val Kilmer as her partner in the heist, and by Terrence Stamp as a crime lord, directed by Russel Mulcahy, is a bad movie. Devoid of style, a trademark of Mulcahy’s work, and with no heists until the very end of the runtime,The Real McCoyis a snoozefest. The emotional journey before the heist could be compelling, but it drags.
At First Sight
At First Sight is a drama film starring Val Kilmer as a blind man who undergoes surgery to restore his vision, supported by his girlfriend played by Mira Sorvino. Released in 1999, the film explores the protagonist’s emotional and psychological adjustments to his newfound sense of sight.
Val Kilmer’sAt First Sightis based on the short story in Oliver Sacks’ anthology, which was inspired by the real life story of Shirley Jennings, one of the few people to ever regain sight after lifelong blindness. Kilmer plays Virgil Adamson, who is based on Jennings. Kilmerspent time with Jennings to prepare for the role, which he plays opposite Mira Servino, whose character is also based on a real person, Jennings' wife. The movie, alsofeaturing Kelly McGillis, does a good job of exploring the negative impacts of toxic ableist positivity, but it gets too preachy at times.
The Saint
The Saint is a 1997 action film starring Val Kilmer, Elisabeth Shue, and Rade Serbedzija. Directed by Phillip Noyce, The Saint centers on Simon Templar (Kilmer), who goes up against a traitor of the Russian government when he tries to steal their plans for cold fusion. The film received mixed to positive reviews upon release.
Simon Templar, also known as The Saint, is a master of disguise and theft. He’s an investigator who works outside the bounds of the law. Based on the books by Leslie Charlten where he first appears, there have been multiple live action adaptations of the character.
There is a reboot ofThe Saintin the works starring Regé-Jean Page, although it doesn’t have a director yet.
The latest adaptation, following a movie series in the ’40s, and a TV show in the ’60s, was the ‘97 film starring Val Kilmer as the main character. While Kilmer retains Templar’s goofiness while changing disguises all the time, the movie squanders his character’s story with conflicting versions of his backstory and uninspired filmmaking.
The Ghost and the Darkness
The Ghost and the Darkness is a 1996 film directed by Stephen Hopkins, starring Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas. The film is based on the true story of two man-eating lions in Tsavo, Africa, who terrorized the workers constructing a railway bridge in 1898. Val Kilmer plays the engineer tasked with overseeing the construction, and Michael Douglas portrays a seasoned hunter brought in to deal with the lions.
A survival adventure set in Africa,The Ghost and the Darknesstells the true story of two man-eating lions who terrorized the railroad workers for months. Val Kilmer stars as Colonel John Henry Patterson, an engineer tasked with keeping the workers on schedule and finishing the bridge’s construction as quickly as possible.
He’s in charge when the workers find the corpse of a coworker who has been mauled by a lion.Patterson calls for a famed hunter, Charles Remington, played by Michael Douglas, who helps them hunt down the two lions.The thriller is beautifully paced to heighten the tension.
8Wings Of Courage (1995)
Directed By Jean-Jacques Annaud
While it isn’t comparable in length to the IMAX feature films made today, Jean-Jacques Annaud’sWings of Courageis the first narrative feature filmed in IMAX 3D. Kilmer has a tiny role of somewhere between 5 and 10 minutes, but he still makes his mark on the film and on movie history by being in this momentous film. The movie isn’t very exciting or compelling, but it looks breathtaking, and its historical significance still makes it relevant. A fully realized screenplay telling the survival story would have made for a better film, but that’d be impossible with such expensive technology.
Joe the King
Joe the King follows a 14-year-old boy navigating a tumultuous life marked by family abuse and alienation. Amidst a strained relationship with his parents and brother, he struggles to maintain his resilience and dignity. Released in 1999, the film explores themes of survival and perseverance in a challenging environment.
Frank Whaley’sJoe the King, which tells the tragic story of Joe Henry, played by a 15-year-old Noah Fleiss, is loosely based on the director’s experiences growing up. It is a tale of crime that follows a misguided Joe through his journey from being a traumatized kid growing up in a broken home to being a resident of a juvenile detention center.
Heavily inspired by French New Wave cinema, especially François Truffaut’sThe 400 Blows(1959), it stars Kilmer as Joe’s abusive father, played with terrifying commitment. Fleiss is, however, the standout performer with his naturalistic acting.
Thunderheart
Thunderheart is a 1992 film in which Val Kilmer stars as an FBI agent with Sioux heritage. He is sent to a Native American reservation to assist in a murder investigation, leading him to confront his cultural background and ancestral connections amidst the unfolding mystery.
Val Kilmer plays Ray Levoi, a white FBI agent with Sioux lineage, who is deployed to solve a murder on a Native American reservation, inThunderheart. It is a scathing exploration of the exploitative nature of American capitalism and colonialism.
10 Best Movies Like Killers Of The Flower Moon
Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon has been met with critical acclaim. Here are some other films to watch next for viewers who enjoyed it.
The ruthlessness with which agencies like the FBI, who are in charge of upholding law and order, prioritize the interests of the ruling class at the cost of Native American lives. Kilmer’s character’s success is a bit unbelievable, but as an inventive piece of revisionist history with an eventually hopeful outlook,Thunderheartis a compelling film.
