I was hesitant to watch the new Val documentary on Amazon Prime. Val Kilmer was an actor that I grew up adoring, thanks to films as varied as Top Secret, Willow, Top Gun, and my personal favorite, Real Genius. Much like Robert Downey Jr., whenever he showed up in a movie he was sure to add a sense of danger and excitement to whatever the plot was and he always made the film better. Over the years he continued to put great performances in films that I enjoyed and in some cases flat out adored, all while gaining a bit of a reputation as a pain in the ass. The talent was there, but directors didn’t always have the nicest things to say about working with him. As long as the box office receipts ended up in the black, people with the power to hire him didn’t really care but when the new millennium came around those films where he shined became fewer and further between.
A few years ago it became known that Val was likely facing a new point in his career, as a battle with cancer had ravaged his matinee idol looks and smooth voice. There would be no leading roles from this point on and I imagined that had to weigh heavy on someone who is self-labeled as a perfectionist. I’d grown to know the other Val through his performances. It was time to meet the real Val through this film.
I’m glad I watched it. Directed by Ting Poo and Leo Scott and assembled from hours and hours of Val Kilmer’s own video footage, it shows the young life of a boy making home videos with his soon to be late younger brother, to the eager handsome man making waves at Julliard, to the man who likely out handsome Tom Cruise in Top Gun, to the modern man struggling with his sense of mortality. It was utterly bizarre to see the impish spirit first seen in Real Genius in the eyes of an old man with grey hair, mostly speaking through the voice of his young son or with his own broken, gravelly voice. Utilizing his own words and images, he tells a bio-collage of essentially his entire life, sharing images of his family, friends, and co-workers, and the pain, joys, and hardships that came along for the ride of his Hollywood career. At times the film is as astonishing as it is heartbreaking, despite the fact that he only briefly mentions his so-called reputation for difficulty and glosses it over with a struggle for perfection.
But even with some of the harder edges sanded away, its an amazing piece of work and a worthwhile celebration of an excellent career. To continue that celebration in my own way, I offer up my five favorite performances of Val Kilmer from the 1990’s.
5. The Saint- Simon Templar
The Saint is a mess of a movie and honestly one that is likely due for a reexamination considering the two decades that has passed since my first viewing. I had no soft spot for the original British series, but the chance of watching Val throw on as many disguises as Fletch was simply too much to pass up. The movie wasn’t memorable, but watching Val have a blast with numerous characters was nice to see. Had his turn in True Romance been longer or his Batman Forever more engaging, they could’ve ended up in this spot as well.
4. Heat- Chris Shiherlis
Heat is without a doubt the best film Val Kilmer has ever been involved in, and the legend of his skill with the rifles has only grown over the years. For a man as magnetic as Val, it was a wonderful choice to make his character Chris more detached than his usual self. Always on edge, ready to lash out at a moment’s notice, but always ready to complete the job in front of him, Chris is the teammate you need on your side. He just didn’t make the best husband.
3. The Ghost and the Darkness- Col. John Henry Patterson
Stephen Hopkins film (from a William Goldman script) is one of the under seen gems of the 90’s, as two men, one a bridge engineer and the other a hunter, track two lions that have been terrorizing a railroad crew. One could easily see Val as the grizzled hunter played by Michael Douglass, but he shines as the more civilized man who must get in touch with his inner hunter in order to survive. There’s a good chance I might watch the movie as soon as I finish posting this list.
2. The Doors- Jim Morrison
Every girl I went to high school with fell in love with Val Kilmer thanks to this movie, and while it irritated me at the time (because who can compete with him), it’s completely understandable. Val absolutely inhabits the soul of Jim Morrison, disappearing into the role and most impressively, singing the songs incredibly well. The movie itself can be a bit self-indulgent in ways that most Oliver Stone films can be, but there isn’t a moment when he’s on screen where he doesn’t command it.
1. Tombstone- Doc Holliday
He’ll be your huckleberry. In a film that is filled with the manliest men alive (Sam Elliot, Kurt Russell, Powers Boothe, Charlton Heston) it’s Kilmer’s soft spoken charm that stands out as he gives a quiet danger to Doc Holliday. Always appearing one step away from death’s door thanks to tuberculosis, he nevertheless is there when Wyatt Earp needs him the most, still ready to prove that no one is quicker on the draw than him.
