Val Kilmer’s performance as Doc Holliday inTombstonewas so good that it proved his later performance inBatman Foreverwas simply misunderstood.Tombstoneis often called one of thebest Western movies ever made, and Val Kilmer’s performance is one of the genre’s greatest. His role as Doc Holliday is often singled out as one of the very best things in the film, and he deserves all of his flowers. Kilmer actually deserves more recognition than he got, however, and his performance inTombstoneshould have shown audiences how great he was in a superhero movie just two years later.
Some ofVal Kilmer’s most iconic rolescame in the 1990s, like Doc Holliday inTombstone, Chris Shiherlis inHeat, and Jim Morrison inThe Doors. One of his films didn’t get the same praise his other performances did:Batman Forever. Kilmer took over the reins as Batman after Michael Keaton left the cowl behind. That’s no easy act to follow, and many people thought Kilmer was a significant downgrade from Keaton. However, Kilmer wasn’t just a worthy replacement for Keaton, he was a great Batman actor, andTombstonemakes that easier to see.
Val Kilmer Was Great In Tombstone & Batman Forever, But The Latter Didn’t Get Enough Credit
Kilmer Was One Of The Best Parts Of Tombstone & Batman Forever & He Deserved More Recognition
Batman Foreverisn’t as good of a movie asTombstoneis. It has an embarrassing 41% onRotten Tomatoescompared toTombstone’s 74%, and most of the criticism it receives is well-deserved. For years, Kilmer was ridiculed for his portrayal of both Bruce Wayne and Batman, and he usually ends up near the bottom of lists of thebest live-action Batman portrayals.However, Kilmer is one of the only things aboutBatman Foreverthat actually works. Kilmer’s acting inTombstoneactually shows that the very things people criticizeBatman Foreverfor are the same things that made him such a great Bruce Wayne.
Watching Tombstone, It’s Easy To See Why Val Kilmer Makes A Great Batman
Kilmer Is A Master Of Snide Remarks, Effortless Charisma, & Terrifying Intimidation
In many ways, Doc Holliday is a lot like Batman and Bruce Wayne inBatman Forever. Some ofDoc Holliday’s best moments inTombstonesee him telling jokes in almost the same way Batman does, they’re just a bit funnier.Doc Holliday also proved that Val Kilmer can more than handle dark moments, such as Bruce’s flashbacks inBatman Forever. Even his voice was well-suited to both roles, like Doc Holliday’s airy inflections and the subtle differences in Kilmer’s Bruce Wayne and Batman voices. Kilmer was able to recreate some of the best things about Doc in Bruce, yet very few people recognized how impressive that was.
Val Kilmer’s Missed Casting In This Beloved ’90s Space Movie Ruined A Tombstone Reunion
Tombstone will always be one of Val Kilmer’s most memorable movies, but he could have reunited with a co-star and had another career highlight.
Tombstonemakes it clear that Val Kilmer was a great Batman, and if he was in a better movie, he would be considered just as good as Christian Bale or Robert Pattinson. IfBatman Foreverhad given Kilmer more chances to channel his Doc Holliday performance, it would be one of the defining live-action depictions of Batman, at least for fans of sillier adaptations of the Dark Knight. As it stands,Batman Foreveris a bad movie, but it’s certainly not because of Val Kilmer’s performance as Bruce Wayne, andTombstoneshows that.
Tombstone
Cast
Tombstone chronicles legendary marshal Wyatt Earp and his brothers as they seek fortune in a prosperous mining town. Forced to confront a gang threatening the community, Earp joins forces with the infamous Doc Holliday, highlighting a tense battle between lawmen and outlaws in the American West.
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.
