Chris Evans: I just want to do good movies

SINGAPORE — “Record-setting!”

That’s how Chris Evans described in one word Captain America: Civil War, his latest outing as the invincible Marvel superhero for which he is loved by millions around the world, during the Southeast Asian press conference at a function room of the Marina Bay Sands Convention Center in this city Thursday afternoon, while his co-star Anthony Mackie (who reprises his role as Falcon) said it’s “Ass-licking!”

Evans and Mackie, together with co-star Sebastian Stan and Joe Russo (who co-directed the latest installment of the superhit franchise with his brother Anthony as they did the last one, Captain America: Winter Soldier), formed Team Cap during the movie’s international promo, with Robert Downey Jr. and other members of the cast forming Team Iron Man in another part of the world leading to the movie’s world release (opening in the Philippines on Wednesday, April 27).

Mackie is back as Falcon while Stan, as the Soviet Union-brainwashed assassin Winter Soldier in the previous film, plays the suspect in an act of terrorism.

In this installment, Evans (Steve Rogers/Captain America) leads the newly-formed team of Avengers in continued efforts to safeguard humanity. But after another incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability, headed by a version of a governing body to oversee and direct the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers resulting in two camps — one led by Rogers and his desire for the Avengers to remain free to defend humanity without government interference, and the other following the surprising decision of Downey Jr. (reprising his role as Tony Stark/Iron Man) to support government oversight and accountability.

Inspired by Mark Millar’s 2006-07 crime book series, the concept of Civil War is very important, according to Russo.

“We felt like we needed to go in a radical direction if we were going to direct another Captain America installment,” said Russo. “From the beginning, we strongly advocated for the Civil War storyline. Once everyone agreed to it, we immediately sat down and started carefully discussing the arcs of each character, which helped us figure out what we wanted the movie to be.”

The decision (clever, clever!) to split the Avengers into two teams for the movie’s world promotions put emphasis on the theme of, in a sense, a family clashing over an issue. Entertainment Weekly magazine wrote about the analogy: "Still, there’s no question that Cap and Iron Man care about each other deeply. People who don’t love each other could never get this angry at each other,” quoting Evans as saying, “This is an argument and a struggle with your family, for your family and against your family.”

He observed in the same EW story “that normal people may not settle their quarrels by hurling each other through walls,” and that “the emotional death match in the movie is just an exaggerated version of an ultra-tense dinner holiday.”

Added Evans, “I think it’s much more akin to disputes we have in life. Arguments with your family can be far worse than struggle with your enemy.”

While the Russo brothers wanted to continue the visceral tone established in Captain America: Winter Soldier, they also wanted that dynamic to permeate throughout the entire cast of characters (that also include Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Chadwick Boseman and Emily VanCamp).

“Every character in this film has a distinct voice,” explained Russo. “After working together on Winter Soldier, they deeply understand the tone that we like to bring to these films. It’s more grounded; it’s based on realism. There are also political undertones that reflect real world issue in the story (like terrorism) which gives it an immediacy for the audience. Our goal is to tell the story in such a way that both sides have really compelling cases. Both Tony Stark and Steve Rogers individually as characters have very compelling points of view. We wanted people to be conflicted and torn, which creates a sense of tension about what’s going to happen forward after this film.”

Asked at the presscon what he found harder to do, the breath-taking action scenes or the emotional demands of his character, Evans admitted, “The action scenes are physically demanding but I think what was harder to do in terms of your approach and from the perspective of an actor, were the emotional scenes because they required you to put so much of your personal feelings into them. The emotional scenes depend on the director. A lot of directors don’t want to reference other movies. I felt comfortable with the Russo brothers because they have an extensive knowledge of cinema and they can give simple directions what the scenes need.”

The tone of the presscon was at once serious and light, and those at the presidential table were, well, “game.”

One journalist described the Iron Man’s costume as “bird suit,” so how would the two actors describe theirs?

Mackie spoke not just for himself but for Evans who was too shy to answer.

“Mine is Coca-Cola can,” and, turning to Evans, said, “Chris’ is big marker.”

What is the physics behind Captain America’s iconic shield?

“Not much physics,” revealed Evans. ”Just magical movie-making.”

How did he bulk up for the role…what “magical” workout did he do to achieve that body-to-die for?

“Nothing magical,” smiled Evans. “Just working out in the gym, lifting weights until I can’t lift them anymore.”

And which female superhero would he choose as potential lover?

“Hmmm, tough question,” thinking awhile. “I would say Black Widow (played by Johansson in the movie). She finds comfort in times of distress.”

After the presscon, Evans and Mackie (more on him in another column) sat with 12 journalists at the roundtable interview (while Stan and Russo were in the adjacent room with another set of 12 journalists). Up close, Evans looked like your regular hunk, wearing a beige T-shirt that showed his biceps usually hidden by his Captain America costume. He wore what could be a week-old beard and mustache that enhanced his macho image. The tone of the interview was playful. He was more relaxed...and more giving. The lady journalist beside him asked for a hug and Evans obliged. I bet that lady went home tossing in bed that night and didn’t take a bath for days.     

How is he like Captain America?        

“Captain America is a good man who keeps everything close to his chest,” he said. “That’s not my nature. I am an open book. Captain America as written in comic books is somewhat selfish; I’d rather see him as more funny. He’s much too serious. You have all these people in the movie making jokes. Not everyone can crack jokes, you know; not everyone can be the flash. I’ve got to be the funny guy; I’ve got to be the one to deliver one-liners. But somebody has to be the rock and that’s what Captain America is in the movie.” 

Which of the franchise’s other characters would he like to play then?

“The Iron Man,” he answered laughing. “He’s gregarious, confident and gracious.” 

And which character would he beat up unapologetically? 

“The Iron Man,” he said, laughing some. “He would be the one.”

Expounding on his Captain America alter ego, Evans continued, when asked about the fans’ high expectations of him not just on the screen but off it, “Playing this role does have an impact on people. I’m playing not just some wild, reckless playboy but a very good man who affects the way people perceive me as a person. It’s a very unique cocktail of responsibility. People don’t forget and won’t let you forget that you are Captain America. They expect you to have some shades of the character. It’s a responsibility on your back and it constantly echoes in my mind how I should live my life.”

In the next breath, he confessed how much he love(s) movies and playing different characters. 

“I just want to make good movies. You get to be somebody else, playing characters that are not like yourself, and that’s the good thing about acting. Any character you play you carry some of it with you. If you play a vile guy, your head feels a little bit dark for a while. And when you play someone so good, like Captain America, it’s nice to go home, it’s nice to try to be some nice guy.”

The 20-minute interview ended on a naughty-but-nice note.

By the way, how long did it take Evans to put on his costume and how long did it take him to get out of it when he needed to answer the call of nature?

I thought he blushed a bit before he answered.

“Uhm,” he assured, “actually, it’s easy, I do it fast. Getting into the suit, 30 seconds...since I’ve been doing it for quite a while...and getting out of it, another 30 seconds. Otherwise,” he joked, “I would just wet my pants.”

(Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures through Columbia Pictures.)

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