A Look Back at Acting Legend Val Kilmer in “Tombstone” and “Heat’
- Matt Palmer
- Apr 21, 2025
- 2 min read
A few weeks ago, the film industry lost another acting legend - Val Kilmer. The actor is best known for his roles in the “Top Gun” movies, “Batman Forever,” The Doors,” “Willow” and many more!
For this review I wanted to take a look at a couple films that are some of his best - “Tombstone” and “Heat” (which is also turning 30 this year).
In “Tombstone,” Wyatt Earp and his brothers, Morgan and Virgil, have left their gunslinger ways behind them to settle down and start a business in the town of Tombstone, Arizona. While they aren’t looking to find trouble, trouble soon finds them when they become targets of the ruthless Cowboy gang.
Now, together with Wyatt’s best friend, Doc Holliday, the brothers pick up their guns once more to restore order to a lawless land.
The 1993 Western film, “Tombstone,” really does a tremendous job giving fans of the Western genre a truly memorable, classic Western. The film also delivered some stand-out performances and really leaves you entertained, despite a little slow start.
The acting is one of the many things that really stand out in this film and Kilmer really steals the show with his heavily praised portrayal of Doc Holliday. Also, with a cast that includes Kilmer, Kurt Russell, Sam Elliot and many more, you can’t go wrong.
So, despite a slow start, “Tombstone” still remains a popular Western that delivers great action, an amazing story and iconic performances.
In the Michael Mann-directed “Heat,” master criminal Neil McCauley is trying to control
the rogue actions of one of his men, while also planning one last big heist before retiring.
Meanwhile, Lt. Hanna attempts to track down McCauley as he deals with the chaos in his own life, including the infidelity of his wife and the mental health of his stepdaughter. McCauley and Hanna discover a mutual respect, even as they try to thwart each other’s plan.
“Heat” has been hailed as one of the best films released in the 90s and I definitely agree! The 1995 film delivers quite a few complex characters, incredible action and probably one of the best shoot-out sequences ever put on film.
The film’s iconic shoot-out scene has been heavily praised for its realism and intensity. In fact, this scene’s realism is so impactful that it has been shown to Marine recruits to demonstrate how to maintain composure under fire. And, of course, seeing DeNiro and Pacino in a couple scenes together is also worth it.
Val Kilmer’s portrayal of the Chris Shiherlis character is one of the best in his career and shows the versatility and range he had as an actor. In this film, his character is both a highly skilled thief and a man struggling with his personal relationships and Kilmer effectively gave a tremendous performance.
You can currently stream “Tombstone” on Hulu and “Heat” on Netflix.
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