10 Reasons Why Richard Donner's Superman Is Still Awesome

it may sound bizarre, but the best thing about this superhero movie is that the hero never really fights anyone. Yes, he does stop a few criminals, but he does so by simply overpowering them rather than beating them into submission. Otherwise, Superman spends the entire movie doing what Superman should: saving people.

When Superman Returns was released in 2006, everyone complained about how there was a lack of action and that "Superman didn't even punch anyone!" Sure, while Returns was short on thrills, it not being the action spectacle modern audiences wanted it to be showed a respect for the character; misguided respect perhaps, but respect nonetheless.

When Man of Steel came out and compensated with a third act of nothing but Superman punching things, it was a cool spectacle but it felt out of place. They were the actions of a superhero, yes, but befitting of Superman.

Superman isn't supposed to be this unstoppable force who resolves problems by hitting them real hard. He's here to save us from the disasters we can't solve ourselves and, when he can do that without resorting to violence, he will.

Donner clearly understood this about the character and gave us a hero who can save the day without forming a fist. He showed us a Superman who put as much care and thought into saving a cat from a tree as he did to him saving Air Force One, portraying both as equally noble acts.

In today's modern superhero movie landscape, it's refreshing to go back to a time when heroes just saved people instead of bickering and fighting with each other about the moral ethics of doing so.