10 Underrated Films by Taika Waititi You Must See

Taika Waititi built a career that stretches from festival shorts to global blockbusters, blending New Zealand stories with inventive comedy and character detail. He has directed studio hits like ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ and the Oscar winning ‘Jojo Rabbit’, yet his filmography also includes smaller projects and one offs that show how his voice developed over time.

This list gathers ten titles he directed or co directed that many viewers miss on a first pass. You will find early shorts that led to later features, a debut film that set his path, a breakout New Zealand hit, and studio side projects that reveal how he experiments with format and character between larger productions.

‘Two Cars, One Night’ (2004)

This short follows two children waiting in cars outside a rural New Zealand pub as a conversation grows between them while adults remain inside. Taika Waititi wrote and directed the film and kept the setting contained to emphasize the quiet exchange that unfolds in the parking lot.

The film received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film and helped introduce Waititi to international audiences. Elements from this story and its perspective on childhood later informed the feature ‘Boy’.

‘Tama Tū’ (2005)

Set during the Second World War, this short centers on Māori soldiers of the 28th Māori Battalion who shelter in a damaged building while they wait for night. The film uses minimal dialogue and clear visual beats to show how the soldiers pass time and communicate.

Waititi focuses on rituals such as writing notes and sharing looks to reveal character and the cost of conflict. The cast features Māori performers and the production draws on New Zealand military history to ground the action.

‘What We Do in the Shadows: Interviews with Some Vampires’ (2005)

This short mockumentary presents centuries old vampires sharing a flat and speaking to a documentary crew about chores, parties, and hunting. Taika Waititi made the film with Jemaine Clement and shaped the premise around everyday cohabitation seen through supernatural characters.

The short served as a proof of concept and laid the foundation for the later feature ‘What We Do in the Shadows’. It established the interview structure, the Wellington setting, and a tone that Waititi and Clement expanded in the longer film.

‘Eagle vs Shark’ (2007)

Waititi’s first feature film follows Lily and Jarrod, two socially awkward adults who reconnect and plan a return to Jarrod’s hometown. The story tracks a family visit, a planned showdown with a former bully, and the fragile way the pair try to support each other.

The production filmed in and around Wellington with support from New Zealand screen agencies and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The cast includes Loren Taylor and Jemaine Clement, and the film’s offbeat rhythm marked the start of Waititi’s feature career.

‘Boy’ (2010)

Set in Waihau Bay, this feature focuses on a kid who idolizes his absent father Alamein, played by Taika Waititi, and then meets him when he suddenly returns home. The story follows brothers, friends, and a small community as the boys discover who their father really is.

The film became the highest grossing New Zealand film at the local box office at the time of its release and drew wide festival attention. It grew from themes explored in ‘Two Cars, One Night’ and was shot on location on the East Coast of the North Island.

‘What We Do in the Shadows’ (2014)

Co written and co directed by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, this feature mockumentary follows vampire roommates in Wellington dealing with chores, clubs, and rival creatures. The cast includes Waititi as Viago, Clement as Vladislav, and Jonathan Brugh as Deacon.

The production relied on extensive improvisation around a detailed outline and was edited from a large volume of footage. The film later spawned the spinoff series ‘Wellington Paranormal’ and the television adaptation ‘What We Do in the Shadows’, both set in the same world.

‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’ (2016)

Adapted from a novel by Barry Crump, this feature pairs a foster kid named Ricky Baker with his reluctant guardian Hec after events send them into the bush. The story follows a nationwide search while the two learn to travel and survive together.

Filmed across New Zealand forests and rural locations, the production highlights landscapes as part of the chase. The film became a major local box office success and surpassed earlier records set by ‘Boy’.

‘Team Thor’ (2016)

This short mockumentary shows what Thor was doing during the events of ‘Captain America: Civil War’, introducing a roommate named Darryl and a regular life away from battles. Taika Waititi directed the piece and used fly on the wall interviews to build quick character beats.

The short was released as a bonus feature with the home media release of ‘Doctor Strange’ and later circulated online. It previewed the tone that Waititi explored with the character in ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ and demonstrated how he uses the mockumentary format inside a studio franchise.

‘Team Thor: Part 2’ (2017)

The follow up continues the dynamic between Thor and Darryl as everyday problems escalate in small but amusing ways. The short keeps the interview setup and workplace style scenes that frame Thor as a regular tenant dealing with bills and mundane tasks.

Directed by Waititi, the short arrived alongside Marvel home releases and digital extras and connected to promotional materials around the same period. It expanded a mini continuity that later continued with a related short featuring Darryl after ‘Thor: Ragnarok’.

‘Next Goal Wins’ (2023)

This feature adapts the documentary ‘Next Goal Wins’ and follows the American Samoa national football team with incoming coach Thomas Rongen as they work to change results in qualification matches. The cast includes Michael Fassbender, Kaimana, Oscar Kightley, and other Pacific actors.

Searchlight Pictures released the film and production included reshoots that led to Will Arnett replacing an earlier performer in a supporting role. Waititi appears in a brief cameo as a minister and the story keeps focus on team culture and community involvement.

Share your favorite underseen Taika Waititi film in the comments and tell everyone which one you think more people should watch.