With the passing of Val Kilmer in 2025, we here at Mutant Reviewers want to highlight a half-dozen iconic roles that you should never forget that aren’t Batman Forever, Top Gun, and Tombstone:

Top Secret (1984)

From our review: “Top Secret!, to me, is a gem of a movie. It was written and directed by Jim Abraham and the Zucker Brothers, the same guys that created Airplane! and The Naked Gun movies, and it has the same kind of zany slapstick stunts and silly but often clever word gags of the other films.”

Real Genius (1985)

From our review: “Silly situations and memorable lines fly fast and furious, and the typecasting is just perfect with Kilmer sliding into the too-cool-for-school smart aleck and Atherton and Prescott playing slimy jerks that deserve some good, geeky comeuppance.”

Willow (1988)

From our review: “Willow also sports a great turn by Kilmer, who obviously relishes being a scoundrel-with-a-heart-of-gold. He gets tons of terrific lines, and watching him find a match — in more than one way — with Sorsha is another delight.”

Heat (1995)

From our review: “This is a classic story designed in a classic style that has upped the ante for the crime genre ever since it’s release. Believe the hype: Heat is worth it. Val Kilmer plays a supporting role and is totally outclassed by Pacino and DeNiro, but does his job capably.”

The Island of Doctor Moreau (1996)

From our review: “Would you believe, it just gets nuttier? Brando and Kilmer use the second half of the movie to out-overact each other. Moreau’s excuse is a megalomatic spirit, Montgomery’s is his drug habit.”

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

From our review: “Beyond the impeccable casting it truly is Shane Black’s winning script and direction that gives the film that amazing verve. It’s like all the cool elements of the ‘buddy cops’ action films of the late ’80s and entire ’90s distilled and whipped together with a comically noir mystery.”