Chris Evans' Best Movies Before Captain America, Ranked - MovieWeb
Chris Evans is one of Hollywood's most beloved leading men of this generation. The man has charmed and worked his way into some of the century's most high-profile acting roles. Look no further than Captain America, an unprecedented phenomenon of the big screen that made Evans a household name. Today, the character of Captain America is almost inseparable from the prolific actor, and it's likely that most audiences associate him most closely with that role.
But before striking it big with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Evans had already built up a storied history of movies. From some underwhelming superhero projects to crime thrillers and even high-school comedies, the man had already proved himself as a versatile talent before becoming America's favorite superhero. Some of these ventures were a vibrant success, and others admittedly left quite a bit to be desired. Despite it all, these films all share the lovable beating heart of Chris Evans, who regularly delivers an engrossing performance.
6 Cellular
Cellular is a genuinely hilarious concept for a movie, a type of script born out of the minds of studio executives that leaves audiences wondering what the line is between an extended advertisement and an actual story. After a biology teacher (Kim Basinger) is kidnapped, she comes up with a convoluted series of schemes to send word for help using a broken telephone. The events of this kidnapping plot revolve (in a plastic, unnatural way) around the technology of the cell phone. Some phones lose reception in certain areas in this film, while some refuse to cooperate and others have magical qualities. This is fiction speculating on technology in a rote, contrived way that, many years later, comes off as wonderfully ironic. Chris Evans plays Ryan, an average person that gets caught up in the kidnapping scheme and has to use his resourcefulness to help rescue the victim. Evans' desperation and gravitas brings a much-needed anchor to the film, which threatens to get carried away with its strange fixation on cellular technology.
5 Battle for Terra
Humanity is a colonizing force in the 2007 animated science fiction film Battle for Terra. Facing annihilation, the natives of the planet Terra must do everything in their power to fight off the human colonizing force. Chris Evans' performance is nothing to write home about, as his character isn't a big part of the main events of the story. Still, the film is a straightforward science fiction adventure that is frequently compared to 2010's Avatar, though it lacked the technological prowess required to create the same dazzling visuals.
4 Fantastic Four
There isn't much to say about 2005's Fantastic Four that hasn't already been stated by an entire legion of critics. This film just isn't that good, but following 2015's attempted reboot of the beloved Marvel superhero team, it's worth revisiting this one to see exactly why neither adaptation was able to capture the magic of The Fantastic Four. Chris Evans' performance as Johnny Storm is a commendable attempt at bringing life to a disorganized movie that fails to become more than the sum of its parts. Certain sequences work, but the film as a whole lacks the spark and energy that characterize other superhero films of its time like Spider-Man 2.
3 Puncture
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Puncture is based on the real-life story of Michael David Weiss, an attorney and drug user who championed a case related to the implementation of safer, single-use syringes in medical spaces. A harrowing story with a flawed hero at the front, the film unfortunately suffers from some rote and familiar storytelling that bogs down its interesting premise. At each turn, however, Chris Evans has all the talent required to bring depth and humanity to the troubled attorney. His struggles with addiction form a heated contrast with the heart of a servant, creating a portrait of a man doomed to failure by his own vices. It's worth a watch to see Evans bring an impeccable charisma to the role, which becomes the film's saving grace.
2 Scott Pilgrim vs the World
This electric action-comedy film directed by Edgar Wright has already achieved legendary renown for its unique spin on its comic-book source material. Lazy musician Scott Pilgrim develops a crush on one Ramona Flowers, and realizes he has to defeat six of her evil exes in stylish combat in order to win her heart. These extended action sequences set to gripping music and creative visuals are at the heart of what make Scott Pilgrim vs the World such an enjoyable thrill ride. Chris Evans plays Lucas, one of Flowers' exes, who is himself a Hollywood actor and a skateboarder. This role may as well be a dark parody on Captain America, where Evans' haughty sneer echoes with the same charisma that gives Captain America his air of virtue. The hilarious contrast between the arrogant, muscled Evans and the quiet Michael Cera is a gut-busting force in this beloved movie. Some describe certain elements of the film as problematic, but Evans' wit and charm are undeniable.
1 Sunshine
Sunshine is a 2007 science fiction thriller directed by Danny Boyle that evokes the same existential dread of open space as Solaris by Andrei Tarkovsky. Astronauts aboard the spaceship Icarus II attempt a suicide mission of jump-starting the sun to reintegrate heat and warmth to Earth's ecosystem. Chris Evans plays James Mace, the engineer aboard the ship with a stoic, uncompromising moral backbone that acts as the glue between the ship's crew. After suffering from a series of setbacks, the members of the crew begin making personal sacrifices to ensure the completion of their mission. It's a depressing and enthralling tale of human bravery and ingenuity, and Evans' physicality and presence carry these elements to their zenith in this film.
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