Audiences of all ages from across the world loved actor Chris Evans for his role as Captain America in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe. Apart from possessing the head-turning “America’s ass,” Chris played the patriotic and conservative superhero to a tee.
When his contract with Marvel ended, fans felt sad about his departure from the cinematic universe. However, Chris continues to pursue his acting career and is back in action after his recent project where he voiced Buzz Lightyear in Lightyear.
In Netflix’s new movie, The Gray Man, Chris stars alongside Ryan Gosling but abandoned his goody-two-shoes demeanor for a more sinister and unhinged character that displays sociopathic tendencies.
The Gray Man is Chris’s other attempt as a villain after his roles in Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World and Knives Out. In the movie, he plays Lloyd Hansen, a former CIA black ops mercenary who works in the private sector. Although involved with the CIA for covert, not to mention illegal, missions, Lloyd has no regard for the rules and involves extreme means such as torture, kidnapping, bounty hunting, and more.
Yet as menacing as his character sounds, Chris dresses mostly like a suburban dad with toned muscles. He mostly sports tight-fitting shirts, showing off his iconic arms, pressed pants, and an awful-looking mustache that Ryan eventually pokes fun at in the movie. The contrast between his wardrobe and personality adds to the movie’s flair for comedic interactions.
“It’s the wardrobe, the look, the haircut—that’s all fun stuff—but what it [really] is, is it’s a guy who is unapologetically himself. He moves through the world without concern for how other people see him, and I think that’s a trait we all can identify with and kind of connect to,” Chris said in an interview with Access Hollywood.
Chris adapted well to his character as he played the self-centered sociopath Lloyd throughout the movie. He and Ryan, who plays Sierra Six, also known as Court Gentry, keep viewers at the edge of their seats as they try to outsmart and overpower the other during their meetings.
Joining Chris from the Marvel Cinematic Universe are brothers and directors Anthony and Joseph Russo. Like their other films, the brothers combined colorful, fast-paced scenes with dramatic flair. They also added musical elements to raise nostalgia and add a badass depth to the action flick.
The movie’s dialogue also combines hilarious interactions in action-filled parts, with characters poking fun at each other for on-screen and real-life references.
In one scene, Chris calls Ryan a “Barbie doll,” a nod to his role as Ken in Greta Gerwig’s upcoming film Barbie. In some others, Chris’s behind takes the spotlight to remind viewers of his iconic body part, which remains a significant addition to pop culture.
Speaking of eye candy, Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page and Knives Out main protagonist Ana de Armas also add to the star-studded cast. Billy Bob Thorton, Jessica Henwick, and Dhanush play pivotal roles in the film.
The Gray Man now streams on Netflix.