With Top Gun: Maverick soaring into theaters on May 27, 2022, famed Hollywood actor Val Kilmer is poised to reprise one of his most iconic roles in Admiral Tom “Iceman” Kazansky. Aside from the dazzling aerial stunts, the film has drawn praise for its compelling story, especially how it rekindles old rivalries while introducing new characters and pushing the mythology forward.
With over 100 acting credits since making his big-screen debut in 1984, Val Kilmer has given the world a slew of memorable and diverse movie characters, often going toe-to-toe with the biggest movie stars and accomplished actors alike. The real question is, will Top Gun: Maverick appeal to Letterboxd users as much as the rest of the world?
Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans (2009) – 3.5/5
In Werner Herzog’s polarizing crime sequel Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, Val Kilmer plays Stevie Pruit, a Louisiana police officer teamed with a corrupt partner. Nicolas Cage plays his insolent partner, Terence McDonagh, a drug-addled, authority-abusing lawman who spirals into a self-destructive descent after saving a man’s life during Hurricane Katrina.
Hailed on Letterboxd for its cautionary, nightmarish depiction of the psychological degradation of drug abuse, Herzog’s vivid direction, and Cage’s bonkers performance, Kilmer’s role as Stevie may be slight but his actions in the story directly lead to McDonagh’s salvation in the end. Hopefully, Kilmer and Herzog will work together again in the future.
Real Genius (1985) – 3.5/5
Released one year before Top Gun, Real Genius marked the second feature film of Kilmer’s career. The underrated 80s teen comedy follows Chris Knight (Kilmer), a brilliant-minded teenager with a penchant for partying and pranking who teams with a much more serious student to build a high-tech laser. Despite his inexperience, Kilmer is charming, charismatic, and extremely likable in the role.
With several positive comments on Letterboxd, Graham J may have said it best, adding “Val Kilmer elevates this ’80s teen romp into something near magical. His comic delivery is damn near perfect and when he’s onscreen (which is thankfully a lot), Real Genius shifts into high gear.”
Top Secret! (1984) – 3.6/5
Believe it or not, Top Secret! was Val Kilmer’s very first movie. The hilarious slapstick spy movie spoof continues to be one of the funniest outings of Kilmer’s career, which makes his glaring lack of comedies over the following two decades so mystifying. Story-wise, Kilmer plays Nick Rivers, an Elvis Presley-like American rocker who gets ensnared in an espionage plot while performing in East Germany.
Loaded with sight gags, silly puns, and ridiculous one-liners, Letterboxd user Patrick Willems earned nearly 600 likes for stating “the opening credits are set to a Beach Boys parody song about skeet shooting while riding surfboards. This movie is high art.”
Val (2021) 3.7/5
Starring as the subject matter of his own documentary, Val chronicles the 40-year career of Kilmer as seen through his daily routines. Ting Poo and Leo Scott direct the unflinchingly intimate portrait of the artist who has given his life to entertaining the masses, using decades of home footage to stitch together a compelling glimpse of a misunderstood movie star.
Narrated by Val’s son Jack Kilmer, the documentary explores the personal and professional highs and lows that Kilmer has experienced, including his recent bout with cancer. Honest and vulnerable as can be, Letterboxd user Mathijs Breedveld calls the film a “beautiful peek into the wonderful mind of Val Kilmer.”
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) – 3.7/5
Written and directed by Shane Black as one of his best films, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is one of the most underrated crime movies of the past two decades. Kilmer stars as Gay Perry, an elegant private investigator who reluctantly teams with clumsy thief Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr.) to help him win an acting job, only for the pair to become embroiled in a hard-boiled murder mystery. The chemistry between Kilmer and Downey is truly special.
With crackling dialogue, genre-defying humor, and a playful spin on the throwback detective drama, Kilmer has rarely been more amusing or in command of his character. Yagagme on Letterboxd is spot on, saying “this was such a fun watch. The chemistry between RDJ and Val Kilmer is such a treat throughout the whole film, they’re so effortlessly fun together I just loved it whenever they were onscreen together.”
Tombstone (1993) – 3.8/5
Kilmer gave one of his most memorable performances as the boozy Doc Holliday in Tombstone, the highly-acclaimed star-studded western biopic. Set in Tombstone, Arizona, Doc joins his old pal Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) and his brothers to prevent the hostile takeover from a ruthless gang known as The Cowboys. Cue the quick-draw carnage, murderous mayhem, and epic Tombstone movie quotes.
Rightfully so, much of the praise for the film on Letterboxd singles out Kilmer’s towering performance, with Papupo stating “only Val Kilmer could make a gambler dying of TB almost upstage the main character,” and Silent J adding “imagine is Jack Sparrow was in a western. That’s Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday in Tombstone. It’s even more awesome than how it sounds.”
The Prince Of Egypt (1998) – 3.9/5
Even the biggest Val Kilmer fans may have forgotten that he voiced the roles of Moses/God in DreamWork’s animated movie The Prince of Egypt. His fans on Letterboxd certainly haven’t forgotten, especially regarding how the musical soundtrack remains one of the best around.
Essentially a retelling of the Book of Exodus, the love for The Prince of Egypt ranges from the former movie enjoyer saying “every single song in this film slaps,” to James saying it’s “basically the best animated film ever made,” and Mattie Witty adding “absolutely one of the best biblical films made without a doubt.”
True Romance (1993) – 3.9/5
While his face is partially obscured, Kilmer’s bit role as the imaginary Elvis Presley in True Romance remains one of his most celebrated performances to date. With a pitch-perfect vocal inflection and accurate body language that remains convincing almost 30 years later, the late Tony Scott-directed masterpiece deserves all the plaudits it can get. The cast alone is one of the things that still holds up today.
Written by Quentin Tarantino, the story follows Clarence (Christian Slater), a loner who meets Alabama (Patricia Arquette) on his birthday and gets entangled with her boyfriend’s drug associates as well as the Italian mafia. Anytime Clarence is in a jam, his imaginary friend Elvis consoles him and reinstills confidence. While his role is minor, Kilmer got to work with Tony Scott again for the first time since Top Gun.
Top Gun: Maverick (2022) – 4.1/5
While the original Top Gun didn’t quite make the grade, its superior sequel Top Gun: Maverick definitely registers as one of Kilmer’s most beloved movies to date. Directed by Joseph Kosinski this time out, Kilmer rehashes his old rivalry with Pete Mitchell (Tom Cruise) as Iceman, one of the most famous movie characters from the 1980s. Kilmer told ET Canada reprising Iceman was “like being reunited with a long-lost friend.” Fans feel the same.
Aside from the jaw-dropping aerial acrobatics in the film, Letterboxd users were quick to note how exhilarating the final 20 minutes of the movie were and how compelling the character arcs felt. For instance, hisnameisbleu flat-out calls the movie a “masterpiece” and adds “Tom Cruise never disappoints.”
Heat (1995) – 4.2/5
Considering what a substantial role he has and the terrific performance he gives, it only seems right to find Heat named Kilmer’s best movie. The sprawling L.A. crime masterpiece from director Michael Mann follows skilled thief Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) and his crew testing fate by pulling off one last job with Lt. Hanna (Al Pacino) hot on their tail. Kilmer plays Chris, Neil’s cool, charming, sexy, and ultra-faithful partner in crime caught between the love of his life and the code of the streets.
With no shortage of plaudits for the film on Letterboxd, the best response comes from David Sims, who received 1,600 likes for simply repeating Kilmer’s most emotionally resonant line in the film: “For me, the sun rises and sets with her, man.” It’s the line that marks the point of no return for both Chris and Neil.
