10 Underrated Ivan Reitman Movies You Must See

Ivan Reitman shaped modern screen comedy with a mix of big ideas, tight timing, and sharp casting choices. His filmography stretches from scrappy Canadian independents to studio blockbusters, with forays into science fiction, action adventure, political satire, and sports drama. That range gave collaborators room to play while keeping stories accessible and well paced.

This roundup spotlights titles that show how flexible his filmmaking could be across different settings and tones. You will see early experiments, inventive star vehicles, and sturdy crowd pleasers that reveal how he worked with performers and crews to build memorable set pieces and character beats that still land with audiences.

‘Cannibal Girls’ (1973)

This Canadian independent horror comedy stars Eugene Levy and Andrea Martin as travelers who stumble into a small town with a gruesome local legend. The production leaned on improvisation and was shot around Ontario on a tiny budget, which gave the dialogue a loose rhythm and kept locations simple and efficient.

American International Pictures handled distribution and marketed a theater gimmick that rang a bell before gory moments so viewers could look away if they wished. The film became an early showcase for Reitman’s collaboration with comic talent who would later appear in projects connected to ‘SCTV’, and it demonstrated his ability to turn limitations into style.

‘Stripes’ (1981)

Bill Murray and Harold Ramis play aimless recruits who find themselves remaking basic training in their own image. The United States Army allowed filming at Fort Knox, which gave the boot camp sequences authentic backdrops and access to equipment that shaped the look of the graduation and parade scenes.

The movie introduced the EM 50 Urban Assault Vehicle, a modified motorhome built for the production that anchors the final act’s rescue mission. Elmer Bernstein’s score mixes martial cues with playful motifs, and the ensemble includes John Candy and Warren Oates, which helped the film balance irreverent gags with orderly marching and precision drills.

‘Twins’ (1988)

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito play brothers separated at birth who reunite and track down their mother while untangling a stolen goods plot. The story lets both leads swap usual screen personas, with DeVito leaning into streetwise bluster and Schwarzenegger playing earnest and methodical, and it gives the pair a steady rhythm of physical and verbal comedy.

Reitman, Schwarzenegger, and DeVito structured their deals to share in profits rather than take large upfront salaries, an approach that paid off when the film drew strong worldwide business. The score by Georges Delerue adds warmth, and the script sprinkles clues about the experiment that created the twins to keep the investigation moving between set pieces.

‘Kindergarten Cop’ (1990)

Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a detective who goes undercover as a teacher to protect a child and capture a drug kingpin. Production used real classrooms at John Jacob Astor Elementary School in Astoria, Oregon, which gave the scenes with the kids a lived in feel and let the crew design a functional school day around the action.

The film blends police procedure with classroom management, including training sequences where the lead learns lesson planning and crowd control. Ivan Reitman worked with local officials for location access in and around Astoria, and the shoot mapped a path that moves from city stakeouts to coastal settings while keeping the undercover identity believable.

‘Dave’ (1993)

Kevin Kline plays a small town temp agency owner who happens to look like the President and is recruited to stand in after a medical crisis. The production built detailed White House sets for the Oval Office and press spaces, and the script by Gary Ross earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.

Cameos by real political figures and journalists add texture to press briefings and public events inside the story. Sigourney Weaver plays the First Lady with a character arc that tracks how she pieces together the switch, and the film uses cabinet meetings, budget negotiations, and bill signings to show the mechanics of executive power with clarity.

‘Junior’ (1994)

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito reunite with Ivan Reitman for a story about a fertility experiment that results in a male pregnancy. Emma Thompson plays the research partner whose work intersects with a biotech startup seeking approval for a drug called Expectane, and the lab sequences use practical props to stage tests, ultrasounds, and medical consultations.

The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for the track Look What Love Has Done. Production balances hospital interiors with conference presentations and investor meetings, and wardrobe and makeup departments map the pregnancy’s progress with incremental physical changes that match the timeline inside the narrative.

‘Six Days Seven Nights’ (1998)

Harrison Ford plays a charter pilot who crash lands with a magazine editor on a remote island, forcing the pair to survive while repairing a damaged aircraft. The production filmed extensively on Kauai, using beaches, cliffs, and jungle interiors to stage survival tasks like sourcing fresh water, building shelter, and navigating coastal terrain.

Ford is a certificated pilot and performed cockpit work for ground and taxi sequences, while stunt teams handled hazardous air work and the crash staging. The airplane on screen is a de Havilland Canada DHC 2 Beaver fitted with camera mounts and rigging for close ups, and the story includes navigation by compass, map, and landmarks to keep the escape plan grounded.

‘Evolution’ (2001)

A meteor brings fast mutating alien life to the Arizona desert, drawing in a community college professor played by David Duchovny, a scientist played by Julianne Moore, and a geology instructor played by Orlando Jones. The production uses escalating creature designs to show rapid evolution from single cells to complex organisms, and makeup and visual effects teams built a progression that changes color, texture, and movement across scenes.

Dan Aykroyd appears as the governor, and the plot’s solution hinges on selenium sulfide, which ties into a consumer shampoo that the characters deploy during the climax. The movie later inspired the animated series ‘Alienators: Evolution Continues’, which extended the concept into episodic adventures with a new team structure and gadget based containment tactics.

‘My Super Ex-Girlfriend’ (2006)

Uma Thurman plays a superhero whose breakup with a mild mannered architect sets off a very public personal feud that spills into the city. The production stages flights, midair rescues, and a subway car save with a mix of wire work and digital extensions, and the character’s identity as G Girl blends everyday routines with sudden interventions that complicate her relationship.

Luke Wilson co stars as the ex who just wants a normal life while Anna Faris plays a coworker who becomes a new partner, and Eddie Izzard plays a nemesis who knows the hero from high school. New York City locations ground the action with recognizable streets and landmarks, and the effects team threads practical debris and breakaway sets into the apartment and office scenes.

‘Draft Day’ (2014)

Kevin Costner plays the general manager of the Cleveland Browns who navigates trades, scouting reports, and ownership pressure during the hours leading up to the league draft. The production worked with the National Football League to use real team names, logos, and facilities, which lets the story move from front offices to the draft stage with authentic signage and credentials.

Chadwick Boseman appears as a linebacker prospect whose game tape and interviews become central to the evaluation process, and Jennifer Garner plays the team’s salary cap expert who tracks contract implications of each move. Filming included Cleveland locations and shots at Radio City Music Hall during the real event, and cameos by league personnel and broadcasters add real world details to phone calls and televised segments.

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