Chris Evans returned to the action genre with has received mixed reviews, Evans already has more than several well-received action films under his belt by now that have proved his worth in the genre.
These range from MCU movies like Snowpiercer. Rotten Tomatoes is a great way to gauge which of Evans’ action films have connected the most with reviewers. Since these present an opportunity for a quality-filled binge-watch, it’s worth checking them out to see the best that Evans has to offer.
Cellular (2004) - 56%
Stream On HBO Max
Chris Evans got his first shot at leading an action film with Cellular, which features a plot about a race against time. Evans’ character, Ryan, receives a phone call from a kidnapped woman who’s dialed his number at random, setting him on the path to rescue her while avoiding the corrupt authority figures now on his trail.
Cellular received relatively mixed reviews, but Evans’ performance was praised for the way the young actor carried the movie. It’s an entertaining watch for viewers that enjoy a fast-paced story, as Cellular never stops for a breather and is packed with action from start to finish.
Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015) - 76%
Stream On Disney+
The high standards of the MCU meant that ’s reception was considered a step-down. Still, it’s generally well-received, and the scale of the action should be appreciated. It sees the creation of the megalomaniac A.I. Ultron who tries to cause a global extinction, prompting the Avengers to try and stop him.
Avengers: Age of Ultron did receive some criticism for being all over the place with its characters, although the cast’s chemistry was praised. Evans’ turn as Captain America had him as the leader of the Avengers, with the protagonist having to deal with issues within the team and guiding them against Ultron’s machinations.
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) - 79%
Stream On Disney+
Chris Evans entered the MCU with Captain America: The First Avenger, with the film serving as the origin story for the titular protagonist. It’s a war film set during WWII, where Steve Rogers is injected with super soldier serum and foils the plans of HYDRA to use the Tesseract for world domination.
Captain America: The First Avenger has an interesting blend of science fiction and war film action, featuring battlefields and the use of alien technology. Chris Evans set the stage for Captain America’s long tenure in the MCU, also establishing himself as an action hero for the decade to come.
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2010) - 82%
Stream On Starz
Although movie that’s mainly loved by hipsters, it has creative action to follow. The story is about Scott having to fight the seven evil exes of his new girlfriend so he can have the right to date her.
The film is as bizarre as the premise sounds, but there’s a certain charm about Michael Cera’s performance in the lead role. Chris Evans was one of the standouts from the evil exes, appearing as the over-the-top Lucas Lee, who loves talking trash. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World gave Evans the opportunity to add some comedy to his action role.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018) - 85%
Stream On Disney+
Captain America was already considered Avengers: Infinity War truly showed his heroic spirit, as Captain America led the Battle of Wakanda to try and prevent Thanos’ forces from claiming the final Infinity Stone.
Avengers: Infinity War was absolutely packed with heroes from all over the MCU, but it was lauded for balancing everyone’s involvement by using Thanos as the point of view character. The fight scenes are the most ambitious in the MCU’s history, featuring the Avengers and their allies pulling out all the stops to combat the Mad Titan.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) - 90%
Stream On Disney+
There are few villain reveals in the MCU as impactful as the Winter Soldier, who turned out to be the brainwashed former best friend of Captain America, Bucky Barnes. The hero had to prove that HYDRA had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. while dealing with the demons of his past.
Chris Evans perfectly portrayed Captain America’s inner conflict with battling his best friend, along with pulling off the superb action set pieces. In particular, the elevator fight scene has remained one of the MCU’s most famous sequences and a masterclass in fight choreography.
Captain America: Civil War (2016) - 90%
Stream On Disney+
Rather than have an all-powerful villain challenging the Avengers, Captain America: Civil War went with Helmut Zemo devising a plan to turn the team against each other. Captain America and Iron Man’s factions ended up duking it out, leading to a brutal finale where the friends had to fight.
Captain America: Civil War’s good reviews came from the political aspect of things, with the story in such a way that both sides appeared to have solid reasonings. The airport fight scene between the Avengers and the finale clash stand the best in memory, although the film overall was credited with keeping the viewers’ interest high.
The Avengers (2012) - 91%
Stream On Disney+
Audiences weren’t accustomed to huge action set pieces and team-ups across several films until The Avengers made it all possible. It brought the core heroes from prior movies together for them to stop Loki from successfully invading Earth while the Avengers themselves looked to co-exist.
Some elements of the movie, like Cap's suit, haven't aged very well, but Evans did a commendable job and sported great chemistry with Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Hemsworth, with whom he had the most scenes. The Avengers’ explosive finale has a whole lot of destruction, which fans of the superhero genre particularly enjoy.
Snowpiercer (2013) - 93%
Stream On Vudu
While the TV version of has many great characters, it was the film led by Chris Evans that made the concept popular. Snowpiercer is about a rebellion on a constantly moving train in the future led by Evans’ character, Curtis Everett. Their gradual progression to the front of the train reveals the horrifying truth of the state of the world.
Snowpiercer’s action is mingled with thrilling aspects, as each new area accessed by the main characters brings traps and challenges that they weren’t prepared for. It was also praised for its ethical commentary, as the idea is to show how corrupted people can get when wanting to ensure their own survival.
Avengers: Endgame (2019) - 94%
Stream On Disney+
It’s incredible that the 22nd entry of the Avengers: Endgame. The majority of the movie is about the Avengers’ time-traveling exploits in order to undo Thanos’ Snap from Infinity War.
Chris Evans bowed out from the MCU after Avengers: Endgame after Captain America’s arc came to a close. The actor was credited with leading the cast for the Battle of Earth, where Captain America was front and center. The action of the climactic clash is arguably the biggest in scale for any movie, and it remains an extremely rewatchable sequence in a film noted for its strong entertainment value.
