Summary

• Superman's power levels have often been inconsistent throughout his film history, sometimes displaying unlimited abilities and other times struggling with simple tasks.
• In animated films, Superman showcases his powers in creative ways, such as using whirlwinds and heat vision to defeat his enemies.
• Superman's incredible feats of strength include pulling apart powerful alien artifacts, surviving nuclear explosions, and single-handedly taking on the Justice League.

Superman has had a storied history in film, with over 40 years of movies displaying some of the Man of Steel's most powerful feats. As one of DC's flagship characters, Superman has always been a contender for a "perfect" hero, having a vast array of metaphysical powers in addition to his enhanced speed, strength, and durability. However, his power levels have often been inconsistent, sometimes having no limits on what he can do, sometimes struggling to lift a plane.

Across his many film iterations, Superman has had almost as much variation in his power as he's had in the comics. It can be difficult for screenwriters to balance the faithfulness of adapting the character's trademark strength while still leaving him vulnerable enough to craft an engaging narrative. All of the live-action Supermen have also been either limited or enhanced by special effects, suspension of disbelief, and practicality when it comes to showing off what they can do. Regardless, Superman has been a staple of the silver screen, displaying his power with some incredible achievements.

10 Superman Takes Down The Elite Non-Lethally

George Newbern in Superman vs. The Elite (2012)

In animated mediums, Superman is usually able to get away with more heinous moments of otherworldly strength. Joe Kelly's animated film, taking inspiration from the classic Superman comic, What's So Funny About Truth, Justice & the American Way?, proves that it's not just raw power that makes the Kryptonian impressive. Beyond simply having a lot of powers, this take on the character knows how to apply them in creative ways.

When the eponymous vigilante group, The Elite, starts causing havoc by dealing with villains lethally, Superman objects, leading to a confrontation. Though the powerful group first have Superman on the ropes in a 4 vs. 1 fight, The Man of Steel turns the tables with brutal but creative applications of his powers, such as creating whirlwinds to asphyxiate one Elite member with his super-speed, or using his heat vision to lobotomize another. It's revealed that instead of killing the murderous vigilantes, he strips them of power and imprisons them in the Forretress of Solitude, making for an awesome climax that stays true to Superman's values.

9 Superman Rips Apart Mother Boxes

Henry Cavill in Justice League (2017)

Despite the mixed bag that is the DCEU, Henry Cavill's Superman is widely regarded as one of the best parts of the series. His infectious optimism and natural charisma lent themselves to an excellent portrayal of the character. Cavill's iteration of the Blue Boy Scout is also certainly not without its Herculean efforts, able to go toe-to-toe with some of the greater cosmic forces of the DC Universe.

Much of the action of 2017's Justice League revolves around the mysterious Mother Boxes, powerful sentient alien artifacts with a variety of uses. To prevent the villainous Steppenwolf from taking advantage of their power, Superman summons all of his staggering strength to pull the hyper-advanced cubes apart, despite likely incalculable forces pulling them together. Not only that, but he manages to survive the energy shockwave that results in doing so, a testament to DCEU Superman's strength and durability.

8 Superman Survives A Point-Blank Nuclear Blast

Henry Cavill in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Henry Cavill's Superman isn't only tough, but he's shown to be able to keep taking hits even when he's already down. After being weakened by prolonged Kryptonite exposure, The Man of Steel is hit point-blank with a nuclear explosion. Being one of the most powerful weapons to exist in real-life, nuclear weaponry is often a benchmark for testing the durability of a given version of the character, Zack Snyder himself not sure nukes would kill him.

Though he's incredibly weakened, in a near-death state thanks to the combination of nuclear and Kryptonite radiation, Superman is able to survive. Shriveled and on death's door, Superman lives, only finally dying later in the film after a stab through the chest with a Kryptonite spear on top of everything else. Even then, he's able to come back from the grave, an impressive feat in its own right despite some help from the Mother Boxes and a Kyrptonian ship.

7 Superman Solos The Justice League

Henry Cavill in Justice League (2017)

Upon being resurrected, Superman isn't in the greatest state of mind. Going berserk and non-verbal, the Justice League get to quickly find out that the Man of Steel is more than just a durable punching bag when he's angry, able to give back in spades as much as he takes. WIth seemingly little effort, Henry Cavill's Superman is able to take on the Justice League by himself, matching them power-for-power.

This great fight scene includes some memorable beats, including Kal-El catching Wonder Woman's lasso and reacting to the Flash's speed. It isn't until the sight of Lois is able to calm him down that the rest of the League are saved by the bell. It's clear that had the fight gone on, the combined strength of the Justice League couldn't hold a candle to Superman.

6 Superman Lifts A Kryptonite Continent Into Space

Brandon Routh in Superman Returns (2006)

Meant to be a requel of the Christopher Reeve films, Superman Returns is often overlooked in the larger catalog of Superman films. Yet this hidden gem features one of Superman's most impressive on-screen feats of strength yet as he goes up against Kevin Spacey's Lex Luthor. When Luthor creates a new landmass out of Kryptonite crystals that will displace continents, killing millions, it's up to Clark to stop him.

Miraculously, despite being stabbed by Kryptonite shards and nearly drowning, Superman is able to recover. Cleverly shielding himself from the Kryptonite by layering bedrock between him and the island, Superman is able to lift the entire landmass into space. Considering the entire thing was made out of his signature weakness, this ability to go above and beyond is a great movie depiction of Superman's incredible willpower and dedication to the safety of others over his own.

5 Superman Makes Lois Lane Forget Who He Is With A Kiss

Christopher Reeve in Superman IV: The Quest For Peace (1987)

With a storied series of films behind him, Christopher Reeve is considered by many to be the definitive on-screen version of Superman. The series is based on Superman as he appears in the Silver Age of DC, a comic run infamous for spontaneously granting its characters new powers out of the blue. Christopher Reeve's Kal-El certainly doesn't shy away from this, gaining many strange powers as Superman.

One scene from the final installment of the original run of the franchise perfectly illustrates this bizarre power generation. Having not yet revealed himself as Superman to Lois Lane, Clark Kent does so only to rant about his problems, later having her forget the exchange with a memory-erasing kiss. Beyond the questionable morals of this scene, it is a frightening look into this version of the character's power to easily affect the human hind.

4 Superman Rebuilds The Great Wall Of China With Vision Alone

Christopher Reeve in Superman IV: The Quest For Peace (1987)

Superman IV: The Quest For Peace wasn't content to leave Clark Kent with only one new world-altering power. When the villainous Nuclear Man crashes into the Great Wall of China, threatening tourists, it's up to Superman to swoop in and save the day. Rather than using his super strength or speed, The Man of Steel instead opts to fire a blueish beam from his eyes, rebuilding the damaged sections of the wall in seconds.

Clearly, this choice for the film was one based in budgetary concerns and practicality rather than meaningfully affecting the narrative. Still, it's impossible to ignore that in Christopher Reeve's canonical storyline, Superman is able to either locally rewind time or telekinetically move objects with barely a sidelong glance. If nothing else, it's proof that the original Superman was a Swiss army knife of powers, constantly manifesting new abilities as the situation called for them.

3 Superman Turns Back Time By Flying Backward Around Earth

Christopher Reeve in Superman (1978)

In one of his most infamous displays of power, Christopher Reeve's Man Of Steel had proven to audiences that even in the face of failure, he was able to come out on top. 1978's Superman was not only the first mainstream Superman film, but is widely considered to be the first modern superhero blockbuster. Yet toward's the film's end, Superman had failed to save Lois Lane's life, a bleak note to end the hopeful character's debut appearance on.

Stricken with grief, Superman refuses to allow this outcome, flying around the world so fast that he turns back time, effectively bringing Lois back to life and allowing him to save her. The incredible display of speed certain throws physics and suspension of disbelief out the window, and may be seen as a lazy Deus Ex Machina by the film's writers. However, there is a deeper meaning to Superman's time travel, making the scene impactful beyond being a window into Superman's true capabilities.

2 Superman Lifts California

Christopher Reeve in Superman (1978)

For all the times he was able to suddenly produce a new power, the original on-screen Superman was no slough in the brute force department, either. There's no better example of his raw strength than his efforts in crisis aversion in the first Superman film. In his first encounter with Lex Luthor, the Caped Wonder has to deal with the deranged mastermind's brilliant plan of firing missiles into the San Andreas faultiness to trigger a deadly earthquake.

Supposedly, the resulting earthquake would've been enough to sink the entire West Coast, making Luthor's desert properties in the South West prime beach side real estate overnight. Yet Superman is able to save the fault line from sinking, lifting the entire tectonic plate of California and correcting the damage. It's safe to say that no live-action Superman has been able to replicate the world-shattering strength of this record.

1 All-Star Superman Lifts 200 Quintillion Tons

James Denton in All-Star Superman (2011)

While the sheer strength of live-action Supermen will usually be more limited, animated films have taken greater liberties to display the Man of Steel's true limits of power. 2011's All-Star Superman adapts the beloved comic miniseries of the same name. In both stories, Clark is tricked into saving an expedition to the sun by Lex Luthor, supercharging him with the same energy that grants him his powers to a deadly degree.

Oversaturated with the power of Earth's Sun, Superman is terminally ill, yet finds his powers heightened to a degree never though possible. To illustrate this, Superman pushes his newfound strength to its limits, finding himself able to lift a staggering 200 Quintillion Tons with one hand. Though it is an animated version of the character, this personal record is perhaps Superman's greatest feat of strength in a film of all time. With James Gunn's Superman: Legacy supposedly taking inspiration from the same source material, it's possible that a live-action Superman could soon break this record.