RDJ deserves his All Time Greatest status after this but you know what? He did great at a much easier job. Let's be honest, but that's the truth. What Evans has done with Captain America since first taking the role was not easy. The character Evans was entrusted to play doesn't lend itself to the flourishes, visual, verbal and otherwise that RDJ had at his disposal, just from his own innate ticks and mannerisms on top of the writing of the character of Tony Stark as compared to what Evans had to do.
And yet, slowly but surely Captain America became a powerful presence and force in the MCU and it did this old comic fan's heart good. I remember working at the comic book shop across the road from the high school I went to after my parents and I moved to rural Pennsylvania in the early 90's. Now of course everyone CLAIMS to be a Marvel fan from back in the day. Uh-uh... I was there. I remember what was selling and what wasn't back in the day and sorry, while I still bought titles like Avengers, Thor and Captain America especially during that period, most everyone else when they mean they were "Marvel Fans" at that time really meant they were X-Men, Punisher, Wolverine, Venom, Spider-Man fans. Characters like Steve Rogers were passe. And because of that when they Marvel wanted to raise funds by selling off film rights, Cap was barely thought of. And... I'm grateful for that now.
When the MCU started with RDJ as Tony Stark I had to wonder who would play the likes of Cap against him. Even more... How would they treat this character in a modern setting? How would the audience react if he was presented in the traditional way he was in the comics? Even if the actor was good would the studio give Cap the place of primacy as the leader of the team and the inspiration to so many of the other heroes of the Marvel stable? Then I learned Evans was cast and let's all be honest... That was a gamble. Actually a much bigger gamble than RDJ. Downey was always a powerhouse talent and if I'm honest, I was one of those that knew they hit the nail on the head with the Stark casting as soon as I heard he was up for it. Evans' filmography was nowhere near as inspiring. But Evan surprised the world and did so with simply doing the work of realizing this character and being protective of him. There's not been a false note, and as I said, he's not got the crutch of being the "hip/cool" guy. Yet from the moment we met skinny Steve he's wrapped us as the audience around his finger. I will ALWAYS have strong opinions on how about half of the output of Marvel Studios, and I would include the film that gave us Evans' Steve Rogers, The First Avenger, as being too often safe, mediocre four quadrant pablum. Sorry, but too often they are working a formula and they are calculating every single thing to the point of serviceable if sterile "fun" entertainment. Yet even in something like TFA Evans shone bright. And he kept being that bright spot as time went on. Building up from TWS and CW he's executed his performance of the material given him to near perfection. And it's harder to work the subtle shades he's been given to work with. Dutiful, dependable, but also an unstoppable force in his own right... Evans' Cap has led the way and in Endgame they gave me the Cap ripped from the comics who indeed, against all odds, is always the last man standing against evil.... And when the chips are down and even his own prowess and determination aren't enough, his even greater strength gets put on display... The strength to choose to walk the honorable path, the righeous path, and by doing so inspire others to rally to his side. The payoff here was grand.
I wish Evans the best in any future role he chooses to play and we should thank him for being such a great custodian of this character. Perhaps we'll see him in the red, white, and blues again. Perhaps not. But for a bright shining moment one of the greatest old school super heroes was given his due and was shown to be as bad ass as any anti-hero out there, while still having the manners to tell us all to watch our language. That's priceless.