Batman Top 6 - Part 2

Ranking Batman - Part 2

Who did it best?

 

  

So here's Part 2 of my weekly Op-Ed counting down the best performances of Batman from the most popular films, George Clooney took the number 6 spot in Part 1. So which actor makes number 5 on the list. When deciding I've taken a few things into consideration;

• All aspects of the character - There are many sides to Bruce Wayne, who made him real?
• Action - Which actor could bring the smackdown on criminals and handle the Batmobile best?
• Script - Sometimes you can only be as good as the lines you are given.
• Supporting Cast - Hugely important in helping an audience believe in a world with a Batman.
• Overall Performance - Finally, just how does the actor bring of of this together within the final film?

 Okay, got it? Let the games begin!

#5 Val Kilmer - "Batman Forever" 1995

Alright, lets get this out the way, this film gets alot of hate but I gotta say I have a huge soft spot for this flick. This was the first Batman film I was able to see at the cinema, I remember being 4 years old and my parents had me under the illusion we were going to see Casper, my mind was literally blown when the Warner Bros Logo morphed into the Bat-Signal. Everything goes crazy, all the actor's names start flying across the screen and then boom we're in the Bat-Cave, the Batmobile is rising up from under ground and then walking out of the darkness there's Val Kilmer, in the suit, standing tall, that guy IS Batman to me. Alfred asks if wants dinner, but come on the Batman gets "drive-thru"! Kilmer is rocking that low gravelly whisper in his voice. we're only 30 seconds in, 4 year old me is SOLD.

So far, so Batman!

This film came along after the deep dark gothic Burton films and straight from the off there was a lighter tone with this film. Warner Bros wanted a change after their disappointment in the "Batman Returns" box office returns, at least for the first 30 minutes Director Joel Schumacher more or less nails it. The whole opening of the movie is probably one of the best action sequences in a Batman film, really James Bond episodic adventure type stuff, Val Kilmer is kung fu kicking and chucking crazy high tech gadgets around the place. This is one of the most agile Batmen we'd seen on screen and although the suit was still a big heavy black onesie, it's at least seemed more flexible and functional. Val Kilmer also seems to benefit from better direction in choreography as well.

These guys...

Batman Forever was a hit but it wasn't without it's mistakes, Joel Schumacher directs a fun family action picture but managed to inject some bizarre set designs and somehow add nipples to the bat suit. His chosen cast also distracts, Tommy Lee Jones is camping it up to dangerous levels in his performance of Two-Face, and Jim Carrey is hit and miss, he was still a bit marmite for a lot of people back then. Nicole Kidman was definitely my first crush based on her appearance in the film alone but to be honest her character's a tad boring, her profession as a psychologist was a clever twist in that she might understand Bruce Wayne and his Batman alter ego more than most. Although there are some decent exchanges between the two, overall it's undercooked and underdeveloped.

Her finger is on his nipple... awkward or happy accident?

Val Kilmer makes a handsome Bruce Wayne but doesn't really nail the Playboy aspect of the character appearing more as a stoic legitimate businessman, heck he even wears glasses in some scenes because you know in movies if you wear glasses, you're smart! Warner Bros. pulled off quite the coup in getting him for the role as he was a hot property after his appearance in the "Tombstone". Kilmer's Batman is certainly more talkative in costume than others and given fairly decent dialogue plus he got himself into great shape for the role, all this helps make the performance feel more than just a caricature. 

The film does try to communicate the father and son dynamic between Bruce and Dick

In one of the films numerous sub plots, Bruce Wayne takes in an orphaned Dick Grayson who goes on to become Robin. Chris O'Donnell was a solid choice for the role and I actually applaud the decision to make the character older so people don't question why Batman would put a child in danger. The scenes between Bruce, Dick and Alfred are the best interactions in the film and Kilmer and O'Donnell have a great chemistry, their discussions about revenge and murder are simplified but insightful at least. Val Kilmer got a lot more to do with the character than other actors and it shows.

The film works best when these guys are together.

One of the best parts of Kilmer's performance was actually deleted from the original release and it's a shame because it was something similar to what people loved so much about Nolan's Dark Knight films, a look into the psyche of Bruce Wayne and how Batman is more than just a costume, it's an extention of himself, a manifestation of his guilt and rage at being unable to save his parents. The red book storyline featured in the film but we were never given the resolution it deserved. Check out the scene below, it's a little rough as it wasn't completed for the film but it's symbolism is fantastic and Kilmer is committed to it and that's part of why it works so well. Check out a remastered version in the vid below 

Thankfully this deleted scene and more have since been made available in a Director's Cut version available on the Batman Anthology re-releases for the film. You can get your hands on that here.

Even these dudes can't find a reason why the scene was deleted.

Val Kilmer ultimately suffered from some of the same directorial hiccups that George Clooney endured but he got more to work with in terms of character and action, part of that I have a feeling was more to do with how difficult Kilmer was rumoured to be on set, the guys a bit Hollywood but he might have got himself more screen time and lines because of it and despite all the crazy supporting cast he wasn't completely lost in the film. Add in a willingness to throw himself into the role and he made a decent and more importantly, not embarrassing, Batman.

Good job Kilmer, good job. 

So Val Kilmer takes number 5 on the list, check back next week to see who makes number 4!