Click HERE to see this thread with all of the graphics, features, and links.

Val Kilmer did a great job in Batman Forever. He was dark and mysterious. If he been given a better script, he could have been the best Batman. Any reasons why he didn't continue being the Dark Knight?

i think kilmer sucked as batman. i think if clooney had a better script he wouldve been by far the best. but now that christian bale is batman ..... i cant see anyone doing a better job than him

Well said lord of war.Kilmer gets too much unfair criticism.He did an excellent job with the role when he wasnt saying corny lines..If he had had a more serious script to work with without corny lines,there would be no question whatsoever that he was the best bruce wayne/batman out of the schumacher/burton batman movies there was.When he wasnt saying corny lines as batman,which wasnt very often,he excelled when he delivered serious lines as Batman.

He proved during the few times that he had serious lines,that he was a great batman.Like when he said to robin-If Bruce wayne could have given his life to save your parents,he would have.That was very touching when he said that.Most his serious lines he had were as Bruce wayne and he excelled during those times like when he was talking to chase about how he became batman,he gave a very moving performance then.He was by far a MUCH better bruce wayne/batman than keaton ever was for two things.One,he was everything that Bruce wayne is suppose to be that keaton was not.Tall,muscular build,handsome,charming,AND a full set of hair.2.He at least acted like bruce wayne being cool and suave with the women. Keaton was a horrible choice for the role because he didnt even come close to fitting the role.Bruce wayne isnt a short runt,who is half bald,with a pudgy gut,and a receding hairline.Its so laughable when people say he was the best bruce wayne/batman because not only was keaton a horrible choice because of that,but also because he didnt even act like bruce wayne.Bruce wayne isnt a rambling dolt around women like he was with kim basinger saying stupid crap like-Yes Im sure Im bruce wayne,yes,this time I am sure. Keaton ruined the image of bruce wayne big time.Clooney was as bad a choice as keaton was because he is one ugly looking dude,the guy looks like eddie munster for god sakes.

Did you guys see him in his shirtless scene though? Just embarrassing. Bale did the right thing and actually bulked up. That's what Kilmer should have done, and for that matter it's what Hayden Christensen should have done for Revenge of the Sith.

Bale definitely wins points for doing awful things to his body, like going from a healthy weight to 120 pounds to 200-odd pounds to 180 in a matter of months for his roles.

Originally posted by Mr Parker
Well said lord of war.Kilmer gets too much unfair criticism.He did an excellent job with the role when he wasnt saying corny lines..If he had had a more serious script to work with without corny lines,there would be no question whatsoever that he was the best bruce wayne/batman out of the schumacher/burton batman movies there was.When he wasnt saying corny lines as batman,which wasnt very often,he excelled when he delivered serious lines as Batman.

He proved during the few times that he had serious lines,that he was a great batman.Like when he said to robin-If Bruce wayne could have given his life to save your parents,he would have.That was very touching when he said that.Most his serious lines he had were as Bruce wayne and he excelled during those times like when he was talking to chase about how he became batman,he gave a very moving performance then.He was by far a MUCH better bruce wayne/batman than keaton ever was for two things.One,he was everything that Bruce wayne is suppose to be that keaton was not.Tall,muscular build,handsome,charming,AND a full set of hair.2.He at least acted like bruce wayne being cool and suave with the women. Keaton was a horrible choice for the role because he didnt even come close to fitting the role.Bruce wayne isnt a short runt,who is half bald,with a pudgy gut,and a receding hairline.Its so laughable when people say he was the best bruce wayne/batman because not only was keaton a horrible choice because of that,but also because he didnt even act like bruce wayne.Bruce wayne isnt a rambling dolt around women like he was with kim basinger saying stupid crap like-Yes Im sure Im bruce wayne,yes,this time I am sure. Keaton ruined the image of bruce wayne big time.Clooney was as bad a choice as keaton was because he is one ugly looking dude,the guy looks like eddie munster for god sakes.
Wow, i though keton was the best, except for Bale...keaton gave a very good performance, though the body wasn't there his seriousness and slight crazyness was...

Originally posted by lordofwar
Val Kilmer did a great job in Batman Forever. He was dark and mysterious. If he been given a better script, he could have been the best Batman. Any reasons why he didn't continue being the Dark Knight?

The reason he left was because of the direction in BF and because of Joel Schumacher. However, Val was willing to do Batman again but he was already commited the "The Saint" in which conflicted with the production (Batman and Robin) so Cloony was somewhat brought in at the last minute.

I heard that creator Bob Kane said that "out of all the actors to play Batman he thought Kilmer did the best" or something like that. I just wish he was alive to see Christian Bale.

One of the reasons Kilmer didn't do it for me as Batman was because he didn't leave me with a memorable enough impression of Batman, so he sucks.

I don't think i remember 1 "Forever" Batman line.

Lets see, for me, kilmer was the best actor playing batman and bruce wayne in the four previous movies. He wasnt anything special, but at least he looks more the role than keaton or kilmer and acted more like bruce wayne than keaton or clooney. Im not a big fan of kilmer batman, but he was the less bad of the three actors of those crap movies. Keaton played a goofy idiot insecure with woman and memory problems, clooney played just as himself in real life, but at least kilmer give with his performance a much more closer version of bruce wayne than the other two. And he was good fighter.

In the other hand,he didnt play batman anymore because his discussions with schumacher and the fact that he signed to play the saint.

Originally posted by lordofwar
I heard that creator Bob Kane said that "out of all the actors to play Batman he thought Kilmer did the best" or something like that. I just wish he was alive to see Christian Bale.

True.He DID say that.I remember,he said that in the old now defunt comicscene magazine.

Kilmer was ok as Batman.Not as good as Keaton or Bale.

But definitely better than Clooney.But that's not saying much.Adam Sandler would be better than Clooney.

Originally posted by DarkAge
Did you guys see him in his shirtless scene though? Just embarrassing. Bale did the right thing and actually bulked up. That's what Kilmer should have done, and for that matter it's what Hayden Christensen should have done for Revenge of the Sith.

Embassasing? how was that? at least unlike Keaton,he wasnt pudgy and out of shape and had a muscular and athletic build..Keaton himself said thats why he did not take off his shirt because he felt uncomfortable doing so since he did not have a muscular or athletic physique.Thats why the one scene he did have his short off he was very far away from the camera and you could not see a close up of him to be able to tell that he was pudgy and out of shape.

Originally posted by Doc Ock
Kilmer was ok as Batman.Not as good as Keaton or Bale.

But definitely better than Clooney.But that's not saying much.Adam Sandler would be better than Clooney.

He would have easily have been the best of the 3 if he had had a serious script to work with but he was never given that chance because he had so many corny lines.The few times he did get to be serious and deliver serious lines though ,were as Bruce wayne and he excelled during those times.as mentioned earlier by the thread starter,Bob Kane liked him the best as well.

He just didn't feel like Bruce Wayne/Batman to me.Not even in the serious scenes.

I got the Bruce Wayne/Batman vibe off the others.But not him.

except for clooney of course right? LOL. Well I felt the seriousness from him especially when he was telling chase how he became batman.He gave such a great moving performance then with his voice it gave me goosebumps the first time.With Keaton,he did a good job with his voice but I could not take him serious because under that cape,you just knew awaited a short dwarf who was half bald and out of shape as bruce wayne.That being the case,it just took away his serious moments for me since he was so miscast in that role.

Telling Chase???

Kilmer had Chase Meridian not Clooney.It's Clooney I didn't like.Not Kilmer.

I agree, I was really hopeful when he was cast, and unfortunately the movie just wasn't on par with his ability. Christian Bale is more a Kilmer type Batman, which is why I loved him in the role.

Originally posted by Doc Ock
Kilmer was ok as Batman.Not as good as Keaton or Bale.

But definitely better than Clooney.But that's not saying much.Adam Sandler would be better than Clooney.

adam sandler as batman...

-and as for that Bale as a Kilmer type batman, no way! Christian Bale brings his own type of Batman in with voice, and performance. And brings in his own Bruce Wayne also.

That's like changing Mark Hamill into Mr.T in Return of the Jedi.

val kilmer sucks and bob kane knows it

'NUFF SAID.

Bob Kane said that Van Kilmer was his favorite because he thought Kilmer sucked? Interesting...

I thought Batman forever had a lot of problems, but I remember Kilmer as being pretty solid, given the quality of the material.

Yeah its funny that Bob Kane would say Val Kilmer was his favorite if he sucked.

Really? Make it sarcastic then, genius.

Originally posted by Mr Parker
He was by far a MUCH better bruce wayne/batman than keaton ever was for two things.One,he was everything that Bruce wayne is suppose to be that keaton was not.Tall,muscular build,handsome,charming,AND a full set of hair.2.He at least acted like bruce wayne being cool and suave with the women. Keaton was a horrible choice for the role because he didnt even come close to fitting the role.Bruce wayne isnt a short runt,who is half bald,with a pudgy gut,and a receding hairline.Its so laughable when people say he was the best bruce wayne/batman because not only was keaton a horrible choice because of that,but also because he didnt even act like bruce wayne.Bruce wayne isnt a rambling dolt around women like he was with kim basinger saying stupid crap like-Yes Im sure Im bruce wayne,yes,this time I am sure. Keaton ruined the image of bruce wayne big time.Clooney was as bad a choice as keaton was because he is one ugly looking dude,the guy looks like eddie munster for god sakes.

He was by far a MUCH better bruce wayne/batman than kilmer ever was for two things.One,he was everything that Bruce wayne is suppose to be that kilmer was not.Tall,muscular build,handsome,charming,AND a full set of hair.2.He at least acted like bruce wayne being cool and suave with the women. Kilmer was a horrible choice for the role because he didnt even come close to fitting the role.Bruce wayne isnt a short runt,who is half bald,with a pudgy gut,and a receding hairline.Its so laughable when people say he was the best bruce wayne/batman because not only was kilmer a horrible choice because of that,but also because he didnt even act like bruce wayne.Bruce wayne isnt a rambling dolt around women like he was with nichole kidman saying stupid crap like-Yes Im sure I broke your door,this time I am sure. Kilmer ruined the image of bruce wayne big time.Clooney was as bad a choice as kilmer was because he is one ugly looking dude,the guy looks like eddie munster for god sakes.

(fixed your typo)

I See your still having a hard time accepting the truth.

http://www.artifexcreations.co.uk/pics/26.5.04%20update/keaton-finished-2.jpg

indeed.

HARD TIME ACCEPTING THE TRUTH? YOU MEAN YOUR COMIC BOOK TRUTH? BECAUSE THATS REALLY ****ING TRUE. IN SOMETHING CALLED THE TRUTH.

Originally posted by Darth_Decimator
i think kilmer sucked as batman. i think if clooney had a better script he wouldve been by far the best. but now that christian bale is batman ..... i cant see anyone doing a better job than him

Val said in a recent interview in England (promoting bang bang kiss kiss) that he never wanted to do the forever storyline, he wanted what the first two batman's got or to do an origin story... but he gave props to Bale.

For me Val was great, he had the best dark sinister batman potential but the script just wasn't right. Bale is more cartoony and funky, which I like as well, I thought his representation of a young Bruce was great, but his batman voice must've hurt to pull off though, it was a bit too raspy for me, but I loved every second of the film to care.

Originally posted by lordofwar
Val Kilmer did a great job in Batman Forever. He was dark and mysterious. If he been given a better script, he could have been the best Batman. Any reasons why he didn't continue being the Dark Knight?

Dont know if this has been covered yet but the main reason Kilmer did not continue as Batman was because Schumacher found him very difficult to work with.There were reports that he beat up schumacher and got into fights with the screenwriters because he wanted to do a more serious batman than what they had in mind for him.Thats why George Clooney replaced him in the next film.Kilmer since then has had trouble getting work in films because of his bad reputation he now has because of that.

Originally posted by Mr Parker
Dont know if this has been covered yet but the main reason Kilmer did not continue as Batman was because Schumacher found him very difficult to work with.There were reports that he beat up schumacher and got into fights with the screenwriters because he wanted to do a more serious batman than what they had in mind for him.Thats why George Clooney replaced him in the next film.Kilmer since then has had trouble getting work in films because of his bad reputation he now has because of that.

Poor Kilmer. Damn Schumacher and his screenwriters.

Originally posted by FistOfThe North
One of the reasons Kilmer didn't do it for me as Batman was because he didn't leave me with a memorable enough impression of Batman, so he sucks.

I don't think i remember 1 "Forever" Batman line.

It's the car, right? Chicks love the car.

Originally posted by lordofwar
I heard that creator Bob Kane said that "out of all the actors to play Batman he thought Kilmer did the best" or something like that. I just wish he was alive to see Christian Bale.

thank god he wasn't alive to see, with horror, what they did to the Batman mythos.

Originally posted by lordofwar
Val Kilmer did a great job in Batman Forever. He was dark and mysterious. If he been given a better script, he could have been the best Batman. Any reasons why he didn't continue being the Dark Knight?

I love Burton and am a fan of Keaton's Batman and that's why I can't stand Kilmer because he was the closest one could get to Bruce Wayne and the 40's Batman. As Bruce, Val was handsome and charming, a socialite, wasn't always dark and broody. He had the best Batman voice (after Conroy), a perfect body for the role and he knew martial arts. Looking that way, Keaton becomes secondary to him and I can't stand that. Yet why I like Keaton's Batman is that he was original - his expressions, his mood, way of talking, attitude when he dons the cape and cowl. Although very opposite to the comics, I love his Bruce Wayne as broody, lost (yet not that he's not confident) and sometimes nuts. His dark side get reflected on his public persona and sometimes he does act like Bruce Wayne when he's Batman - a very complex character.

Bale imo was the best batman. Val Kilmer as a batman was a failure.

Val Kilmer was best BATMAN in my opinion. Was a fairly average Bruce Wayne.

Keaton was a good Wayne but a terrible Batman. Bale did a good job overall and is probably the most balanced and has an excellent Bruce Wayne.

Clooney can go die in a hole.

Clooney admitted to ruining the batman and Val was worse then him.

Originally posted by ashrafanam
I love Burton and am a fan of Keaton's Batman and that's why I can't stand Kilmer because he was the closest one could get to Bruce Wayne and the 40's Batman. As Bruce, Val was handsome and charming, a socialite, wasn't always dark and broody. He had the best Batman voice (after Conroy), a perfect body for the role and he knew martial arts. Looking that way, Keaton becomes secondary to him and I can't stand that. Yet why I like Keaton's Batman is that he was original - his expressions, his mood, way of talking, attitude when he dons the cape and cowl. Although very opposite to the comics, I love his Bruce Wayne as broody, lost (yet not that he's not confident) and sometimes nuts. His dark side get reflected on his public persona and sometimes he does act like Bruce Wayne when he's Batman - a very complex character.

Really well put.

Me, i had no problem with Kilmer as Batman, though i missed Keaton.
Looking back, i dont think i would have enjoyed seeing Keaton in the lighter, brassier, more colorful third installment.