The Best Val Kilmer Movies, Ranked

Highly-renowned actor Val Kilmer was a talented performer with an extensive and diverse resume. Since his film debut in the 1984 comedy Top Secret!, the Hollywood heavyweight appeared in numerous critically acclaimed films and box office hits before his death at the age of 65 on April 1, 2025. His role as Lieutenant Tom “Iceman” Kazansky in the quintessential ‘80s flick Top Gun truly shot Kilmer to prominence and would lead to starring roles in hits like The Doors, Tombstone and Heat, among countless others. Kilmer even reprised his “Iceman” role in the much-anticipated and overdue sequel Top Gun: Maverick, the actor’s final film.

The actor’s greatest asset was arguably his chameleonic nature; he was not afraid to jump from genre to genre, regardless of how big or small the role is. He is able to captivate audiences with his authentic and confident characters, as reflected in his widely diverse filmography, even if that means sometimes going extremely method and alienating those around him, his on-set behavior having become infamous as a result. Let’s take a look at the artist’s best work.

15

Willow (1988)

A young farmer named Willow (Warwick Davis) must protect a magical baby from an evil queen to complete a prophecy. Willow is a magical story directed by Ron Howard in which Kilmer plays Madmartigan, an awesome swordsman whose very secure in his abilities, but also has a romantic side in what might be a mixture of Han Solo and Aragorn. His character’s sword helps Willow with protecting the most important baby in the whole world, in one of Kilmer’s most fantastical roles; one of the first where we saw Kilmer could become a smooth action hero when needed.

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14

The Salton Sea (2002)

The Salton Sea

Release Date

February 2, 2002

Runtime

103 minutes

Director

D. J. Caruso

Danny Parker (Kilmer) is an undercover agent who infiltrates a crystal meth community led by Pooh-Bear (Vincent D’Onofrio) to avenge a personal tragedy. The Salton Sea is an incredibly strange, drug-addled revenge story in which Kilmer plays a drug addict, haunted by his wife’s murder.

Kilmer’s performance has as many colors and tones as the movie; he’s sad and empty, but also has full-on meth trips in one of his most strange and unique performances (and seeing some of Kilmer’s work, that’s saying a lot). Some said that this movie was like an American Guy Ritchie movie (D’Onofrio’s character and performance would’ve fit perfectly in those movies), but Kilmer’s performance gives it a lot more weight and realism.

13

Top Secret! (1984)

Top Secret!

Release Date

June 22, 1984

Runtime

90 Minutes

• 
• 

  Jeremy Kemp

  General Streck

• 

  Warren Clarke

  Colonel von Hurst

• 

  Tristram Jellinek

  Major Crumpler

An American rock and roll singer (Kilmer) becomes involved in a resistance plot to rescue a scientist imprisoned in East Germany. That’s the plot of Top Secret!, but the movie is so much more. It comes from the same brains as Airplane!, so it’s a parody film with 200 jokes per second, where everything is possible if it’s funny and makes us laugh. It’s Kilmer’s first film role ever (and already the lead), and he goes all in with this surreal, fun world, knowing how to tell jokes, but also selling the ones where he’s being the butt of the joke, and showing that in another universe he could’ve been a comedic actor for the ages.

12

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

A new adventure for Pete “Maverick” Mitchell as he goes back to Top Gun to teach a new generation of recruits how to fly a suicide mission. Among the pilots is “Rooster,” the son of Maverick’s old partner, “Goose.” Top Gun: Maverick has been the greatest box office success of 2022, which might be because of nostalgia, incredible action scenes shot inside real fighting jets, or Tom Cruise’s charisma. Probably all of the above.

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But the movie’s most emotional moment is all about Kilmer’s “Iceman”, and his relationship with Maverick. The screenwriters introduced Kilmer’s real throat cancer into the story, creating the biggest tear-jerking scene in the whole movie. Both Kilmer and Cruise give the scene the weight it deserves, showing how many years they’ve known each other and the sense of camaraderie between them.

11

The Saint (1997)

The Saint

Release Date

April 4, 1997

Runtime

116minutes

1997’s espionage thriller The Saint follows the title character, a master of disguise and high-tech thief whose latest job is to steal the secret process for cold fusion. Kilmer stars as Simon Templar, A.K.A. ‘The Saint,’ and ends up falling in love with the scientist he’s supposed to steal from. Elisabeth Shue appears opposite Kilmer as Dr. Emma Russell, and the duo’s chemistry was praised by critics.

Kilmer’s “It” factor is front-and-center in The Saint; he’s full of sarcasm and wit, portraying the perfect blend of brooding and bewitching. Though the film’s screenplay is muddled, Kilmer shines and his performance was applauded by critics. The San Francisco Chronicle wrote, “Kilmer dons 12 disguises in all, polishes them with impeccable accents and pliable postures.”

10

Real Genius (1985)

Real Genius

Release Date

August 7, 1985

Runtime

108 Minutes

Director

Martha Coolidge

Writers

Neal Israel, Pat Proft, PJ Torokvei

Cast

• 

  Stacy Peralta

  Shuttle Pilot

• 

  Daniel Ades

  Laser Ray Victim

• 
• 

  Louis Giambalvo

  Major Carnagle

Val Kilmer was able to show off his comedy chops early in his career with the parody Top Secret! and the 1985 sci-fi flick Real Genius, in which he portrays a teen prodigy who enters a top engineering college and works on creating a chemical laser. When his professor wants to turn the laser into a military weapon, it’s up to Kilmer and his eccentric roommate to save the day.

Co-starring Gabriel Jarret and William Atherton, the comedy was a modest success financially and was appreciated by critics, who enjoyed the zany premise and playful performance from Kilmer. Real Genius was the star’s second major role, and he wasn’t afraid to fully embrace the slapstick humor and goofy comedy of the film. Val Kilmer is full of charm and charisma, and Real Genius highlighted his humor before he branched out into dramatic performances.

9

Batman Forever (1999)

Only a handful of fine actors have donned Batman’s iconic black cape and mask in Hollywood, with some shining brighter than others. Moviegoers tend to sometimes forget that Val Kilmer briefly stepped into the role for 1995’s Batman Forever, which follows the caped crusader as he battles both the Riddler and Two-Face to protect Gotham City. Kilmer was cast when Michael Keaton chose not to reprise his role, and his performance polarized critics, with many comparing his portrayal unfavorably to Keaton’s.

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Batman Forever features an impressive cast like Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, and Nicole Kidman, and earned over $336 million at the time despite mixed reviews. The film was released at the peak of Kilmer’s fame and the actor played the tortured Bruce Wayne with convincing strength and confidence. Though it was his only outing as the beloved DC hero, he’s one of the few stars who can say they’ve portrayed the iconic character.

8

The Prince of Egypt (1998)

Dreamworks’ 1998 animated classic The Prince of Egypt is a retelling of the famous Exodus story and follows the life of Moses from being the prince of Egypt to fulfilling his destiny of leading the Jews out of slavery. Kilmer takes on dual roles as both Moses and God and his vocal performance was impressive and impactful; he shows off the character’s growth and maturity flawlessly and keeps audiences engaged.

The Prince of Egypt has stunning animation, a memorable soundtrack, and a talented cast that ultimately helped it to become a box office smash. At the time, it became the most successful non-Disney animated feature and went on to win Best Original Song at the Academy Awards. It has an 80% Rotten Tomatoes score and remains a beloved, critically acclaimed movie.

7

True Romance

True Romance

Release Date

September 10, 1993

Runtime

119 minutes

• 

Tony Scott’s 1993 romantic crime movie True Romance was written by Quentin Tarantino and features an ensemble cast including Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Val Kilmer, and Dennis Hopper. Slater and Arquette portray newlyweds on the run from the mafia after they steal a shipment of cocaine, but it was Kilmer’s bizarre performance as Slater’s imaginary mentor, Elvis Presley, that really helped propel the film. It’s a small but extremely memorable role, and one of Kilmer’s most delightful.

Despite initially being a box office failure, True Romance quickly developed a cult following and is considered one of Tony Scott’s best films, with critics praising the characters, unique style, and dialogue. With a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 93%, it is one of Kilmer’s highest-rated films.

6

Spartan (2004)

Spartan

Release Date

March 12, 2004

Runtime

106 minutes

Director

David Mamet

• 

Possibly Val Kilmer’s most underrated film, Spartan is one of playwright David Mamet’s handful of brilliant thrillers made in the ’90s and 2000s (House of Games, The Spanish Prisoner, Heist), this one with a bit more action than usual. Kilmer plays a Force Recon master gunnery sergeant from the Marine Corps who is brought in to help find the U.S. President’s daughter, eventually getting involved in a deep web of political corruption, sex trafficking, and lots of danger. It’s an extremely smart movie that forces you to keep up with it, and Kilmer gives one of his most nuanced performances.

5

Top Gun (1986)

Top Gun

Release Date

May 16, 1986

Runtime

110 minutes

• 

1986’s mega-commercial hit Top Gun follows Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a young pilot who, along with his Radar Intercept Officer LTJG Nick “Goose” Bradshaw, is given the opportunity to train at the prestigious US Navy’s Fighter Weapons School. Alongside Tom Cruise’s iconic portrayal of Maverick, Val Kilmer co-stars as the film’s antagonist, Lt. Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, one of Top Gun’s star students and Maverick’s rival-turned-wingman.

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The action drama helped skyrocket Kilmer to stardom, as he perfectly portrays Maverick’s adversary, with his stoney stare-downs, brazen quips, and smug grins. Despite mixed reviews from critics at the time, Top Gun raked in over $350 million at the time on a $15 million budget and helped make Cruise and Kilmer bona fide superstars. The latter actually didn’t want to take the role initially but was forced to by contractual obligations; it would ultimately become an iconic and important part of his career. As mentioned before, the star reprised his role for the sequel, Top Gun: Maverick.

4

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

The 2005 black comedy crime flick Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is writer Shane Black’s directorial debut and stars Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer as a New York thief and private eye, respectively, who become embroiled in a murder mystery. The script is partially based on the 1941 Brett Halliday novel Bodies Are Where You Find Them and was met with widespread acclaim. The duo’s comedic chemistry was praised, as was the film’s tongue-in-cheek satirical flair. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang earned Kilmer a nomination for the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor and would win the award for “Overlooked Film of the Year” from the Phoenix Film Critics Society; it is one of Kilmer’s most unique and delicious performances.

3

Heat (1995)

Heat

Release Date

December 15, 1995

Runtime

170 minutes

Michael Mann’s 1995 American crime drama Heat boasts an all-star ensemble cast led by Robert De Niro and Al Pacino with Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, and Jon Voight in supporting roles. Depicting the conflict between an LAPD detective (Pacino) and a career thief (De Niro), Heat was both a critical and financial success. Kilmer plays De Niro’s right-hand man and confidante, Chris Shiherlis, a ruthless killer and thief who frequently makes terrible decisions, in a performance that was a change from Kilmer’s usual witty and self-assured protagonists.

The film’s impressive cast, action sequences, and Mann’s direction were heralded by critics and fans alike, and the cat-and-mouse game between the two A-list leads is thrilling to watch. Heat is heavily regarded as one of the most influential films of its genre and a sequel is currently being discussed, with Mann returning.

2

The Doors (1991)

The Doors

Release Date

March 1, 1991

Runtime

140 minutes

Oliver Stone’s 1991 epic biographical film tells the story of the influential and iconic 1960s rock band The Doors, with a heavy focus on the life of lead singer Jim Morrison. Stone had Val Kilmer in mind to star as the brilliant frontman after watching him in the fantasy film Willow. To earn the role, the actor spent thousands of his own dollars to create an audition tape in which he dressed and sang like Morrison at different phases of his life.

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Kilmer also lost weight and spent six months learning and rehearsing Doors songs; when the band members heard Kilmer singing, they could not tell whether the voice was the star’s or Morrison’s. The Doors was met with mixed responses from audiences and fans of the band, but Kilmer earned widespread praise for his performance and his utterly uncanny resemblance to the legendary singer. His role as the talented and tragic Morrison is one of the finest performances in his long Hollywood career.

1

Tombstone (1993)

Tombstone

Release Date

December 25, 1993

Runtime

130 minutes

Director

George P. Cosmatos, Kevin Jarre

Writers

Kevin Jarre

Loosely based on events in Tombstone, Arizona, including the Earp Vendetta Ride and the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, 1993’s Western Tombstone stars Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer as gunslingers Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. Kilmer spent months practicing his quick-draw speed and took on a more method approach when acting as the character. Tombstone was warmly received by critics and audiences alike, while Kilmer’s portrayal of the fearless and faithful Doc Holliday earned universal acclaim.

Kilmer’s range as an actor was on full display and the star took on the character with confidence and sardonic humor, with the role and the performer perfectly suited for each other. His famous wink to Billy Clanton just before the commencement of the O.K. Corral gun fight was improvised on the spot by Kilmer, further demonstrating just how creative he was in the role. He truly stole the show and was heralded by famed critic Robert Ebert as “the definitive saloon cowboy of our time.”