As it is the 80th Batman anniversary, they played this week on TV Batman Forever and Batman & Robin.
I precise that even i'm a huge Batman fan (especially 89 and, to a lesser extent, Returns) , i did not reiterate the experience since 1995 and 97 in theatre. So i did not saw these movies since almost 25 years for the first one.
I'll not talk about B&R as there is almost nothing to save in this movie it but Forever is another story.
Ok the film is not really great, maybe the second or third worst Batman movie behind B&R and TDKR. When i saw it in 95, i almost reject averything in the movie after the wonderfull 89 and Returns.
Because, even if i saw the 66 show as a kid, my real first true meeting with Batman was 89 in theatre, and it was huge and i immediatly loved Keaton. He will always be my Batman, like Hamill will always be Luke Skywalker or Weller Robocop.
But 25 years later i have to admit that Kilmer made a wonderfull job. He portrayed a very convincing, elegant, charming and nevrotic Bruce Wayne and a very solid, menacing and mysterious Batman.
Like keaton he got the good lips and chin for the role (contrary to Clooney and Bale) and on some shots, he can easily be confused with keaton:
Kilmer:
And to finish, his panther suit is maybe the best suit since 89:
Just imagine how badass keaton would have been in Returns with this suit!
So 25 years later i'm convinced that Kilmer is, just behind Keaton, the best Batman/Bruce Wayne ever.
In a better movie, better directed ( seriously why nobody told to Tommy Lee Jones that he was casted for the role of Dent and not the Joker!!!
), with a better timing ( easier to succeed to Clooney for Bale , than succeed to Keaton for Kilmer), Kilmer could have been one of the most iconic Batman...