On April 1, 2025, one of the modern era’s most iconic actors, Val Kilmer, passed away at the age of sixty-five. A unique talent, in each movie in which Kilmer starred, he seemed to take over the show. Spreading across various genres, from Comedy to Action and Sci-Fi to Westerns, there appeared to be nothing he could not conquer on the silver screen.
A student of the prestigious Juilliard School, before entering film, Kilmer was making waves in theater, starring in productions of William Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1 in 1981, and then making it to Broadway in 1983’s The Slab Boys. A promising young career ahead of him, he would soon find his way into Hollywood cinema with 1984’s Comedy Top Secret!, leading into 1985’s Real Genius, before massive stardom in the more serious role of Lt. Tom “Iceman” Kazansky in 1986’s blockbuster hit Top Gun. From here, Kilmer would continue to dish out standout performers in films like 1989’s Willow as the rough, but likeable Madmartigan, before reaching an entirely new level with his portrayal as Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s 1991 film The Doors.
Each tremendous accomplishment for a young actor, let us not forget his outstanding role as Doc Holliday in 1993’s Western Tombstone, as well as his bold undertaking as Batman/Bruce Wayne following Michael Keaton in 1995’s Batman Forever. In total, Kilmer starred in a lengthy list of films in his career that grossed nearly four billion dollars in total.
However, this is only part of the story because Kilmer had so many different sides to him. A screen actor, a stage actor, Kilmer was also a poet and musician with a profound talent for writing. Furthermore, more personal aspects of him were revealed in his 2021 documentary, Val, which featured archival footage shot by Kilmer himself throughout his career, with narration provided by his son, Jack Kilmer. As a must-watch for those seeking more distinct insight into the man, fans cannot deny that a viewing of any Val Kilmer movie makes them feel nostalgic.
Taking movie goers back to a different time, when films like 1995’s Heat were in theaters, many were lined up excited for action sequences featuring Kilmer, as promised in the trailer. For most, it goes back further than that, though. It goes back to laughing out loud with Real Genius. Presenting a character who crept into hearts, guys or girls loved Kilmer’s take on Chris Knight, a nerd with a smart mouth, and willing to take on the man. It is astounding to imagine a film like Real Genius can still stick with you forty years later, but it does.
Which leads to the fact that while Kilmer was a distinctive leading man, he was often underappreciated and unsung. Stunningly, never winning an award for either his role as Jim Morrison or Doc Holliday, if you take a skim through Kilmer’s resume, you will start to see the range that he possessed. Going back to the beginning, his part as Nick Rivers in Top Secret! was ridiculous, but lovable. Not only did Kilmer come off as hilarious, but he sang all the songs in the movie.
Factors that indicate Val Kilmer understood the assignments he was given and gave them his best effort. In Top Gun, his character Iceman would gather a huge following; after all, we know someone who gave themselves that nickname for one reason or another. However, let us delve deeper into lesser-known works, such as 1987’s The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains, where Kilmer plays Jack Andrews, a convict of sorts who ends up on a chain gang. Bringing the character to life, it was merely all in a day’s work for Kilmer. Case in point, when he accepted the role of Jim Morrison in The Doors, one might have thought that the famous musician he was playing had a younger doppelgänger. Not only did Kilmer look like Morrison immensely, but he also had the tone and movements down to a tee.
Harking back to Heat, the Michael Mann film deserves further attention, not only for its memorable cast, including Kilmer, but also for the action sequences. For example, in the shootout scene after the bank heist, Kilmer as the villain Chris Shiherlis was speedy and accurate in a proper military rapid magazine reload.
You can revisit every film Val Kilmer starred in and have nothing but great things to say about his performances. Tragically, his life was cut short due to a long battle with illness that began a decade earlier. Undergoing chemotherapy and two tracheotomies, it was reported that Kilmer had beaten his cancer, but sadly, he continued to struggle with other health problems through the years. Someone who will be sorely missed… if his film Val or his 2020 I’m Your Huckleberry: A Memoir taught fans anything, it was that Val Kilmer was a passionate human being who stood by his convictions throughout a remarkable journey.
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