Chris Evans considers a fight scene from Captain America: The Winter Soldier as his favorite, marking his first collaboration with the Russo brothers.
At 42 years of age, Chris Evans boasts of being one of the most recognizable actors globally thanks to his stint as Captain America, aka Steve Rogers, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A role that he debuted in the MCU with way back in 2011 and held for nearly a decade has also earned him a place as one of the best action heroes. Additionally, the beloved treatment of his character at the hands of Joe and Anthony Russo made it all the more popular while giving fans a lot to cheer about.
Chris Evans as Captain America in Spider-Man: Homecoming
Interestingly, out of the several live-action Marvel movies the actor has taken part in, a whopping majority of them had the Russo brothers at the helm. Thus, when the question of his favorite scene came into question, he did not hesitate to choose from one of those movies but interestingly steered clear of the biggest movies he has ever starred in.
Chris Evans opens up on his favorite MCU scene
Chris Evans as Captain America and Robert Downey Jr. as Iron-Man in The Avengers
Captain America played a central role in both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, the second of which ended up becoming the highest-grossing superhero movie of all time. Moreover, the quality of action ever since the Russo brothers took charge of the character has only seen an uplift. All of this makes way for a gallery of sequences, each better than the other, worthy of being called the best. However, Chris Evans has his own favorite, and it is a part of Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
In talks with The Hollywood Reporter in March 2019, the veteran actor labeled the elevator fight scene from his second solo movie as the one he is most fond of. “It was the first time where it felt like Cap was kind of on his own,” he explained his reason for the same. Moreover, he also stated that the shot was the very first one that they shot for the movie, and hence it held an even special place for him.
“That was the first scene we shot in the second ‘Captain America’ movie,” continued Evans. “It was my first time working with the Russos. It was the first time where it felt like Cap was kind of on his own. The first ‘Cap’ movie, you know, it really felt like everyone was holding my hand.
The first ‘Avengers’ movie, I just did my best to not get in the way. The second ‘Cap’ movie is really the one where I kind of felt, I supposed, pressure and that first elevator scene came out really great in my opinion.”
The revelation came even as widely beloved and iconic scenes such as Captain America fighting Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man in Captain America: Civil War stay in fans’ hearts. Furthermore, shots such as Evans’ character picking up Mjolnir and going toe-to-toe with Thanos in the last Avengers movie stay prominent in fans’ hearts.
How the Russo Brothers pieced the iconic scene
A still from the elevator fight scene on Captain America: The Winter Soldier
The elevator scene that Chris Evans described as his favorite had Captain America fight Hydra agents in a confined elevator within the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. A build-up of tension brought up slowly and laid out brilliantly by unique camera shots helped play out its severity as Marvel’s icon delivered the line: “Before we get started, does anyone want to get out?” Thereafter, a complex fight sequence involving hand-to-hand combat, shields, and brute strength makes it stand out even today.
The Russo brothers meticulously planned the sequence as they choreographed the scene one character at a time. A multi-camera setup to capture the scene from multiple angles and focus on details such as a drop of sweat running down a Hydra agent are some of the highlights of the duo’s directorial genius. Finally, lacing it all with the prominent use of Cap’s shield made it more memorable and iconic.
