★★★★☆

FOR almost a decade now Marvel has made a (mostly) successful run of mixing fantastical blockbuster spectacle with good humour. The latest offering, which teams together two of the franchise’s most outlandish heroes like the world’s most bizarre three-legged race, might be the best one yet to nail that formula.

We’re two years on from the events of Age Of Ultron, with Thor (Chris Hemsworth) returning to Asgard only to discover that his mischievous brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has been posing as his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins). They are soon confronted by Hela the Goddess of Death (Cate Blanchett) who swiftly destroys Thor’s hammer and promises with villainous gusto to cause the Asgardian apocalypse.

In the scuffle to return and warn Asgard’s citizens, Thor finds himself captured again, this time by mysterious warrior Valkyrie (a kick-ass, scene-stealing Tessa Thompson) who delivers him to the bustling planet of Sakaar ruled over by the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum on gloriously eccentric form).

He soon discovers that he has to take part in a brutal gladiatorial event against an undefeated champion who, as it turns out, is actually the long-missing Hulk (“Yes! He’s a friend from work!” he gleefully shouts to a befuddled arena audience). He must then find a way to work together with Hulk and a few select others to save his homeland.

In many ways Ragnarok still very much fits the Marvel mould that has worked time and again with the franchise, as well as adhering to the Thor movies’ themes of heritage, inherited responsibility and familial loyalty. And yet there’s a uniquely goofy and knowingly eccentric quality to this particular offering that’s an utter joy.

Two words: Taika Waititi. The New Zealand director is a brilliant comedic voice known for small-scale gems like vampire mockumentary What We Do In The Shadows and hilarious adventure Hunt For The Wilderpeople. With his foray into blockbuster territory he brings a refreshingly oddball style, delivering on the kaleidoscopic action stakes but very much putting the “comic” in comic book movie. As an added bonus he appears himself as motion capture form as rock creature Korg, breaking the tension with hilarious Kiwi-accented small-talk.

Teaming Thor and the Hulk together is a genius move and Waititi mines their interplay for all its worth. They bicker their way to making it a heightened buddy adventure movie, including some fantastic running gags about who is strongest, the Hulk being known as “the stupid Avenger” back on Earth and who Thor prefers out of Dr Banner or his angry green counterpart. Their odd-couple dynamic just happens to be surrounded by fantastical comic book madness.

Hemsworth gets to really show off his comedic chops as the butt of many jokes; he’s just as likely to get knocked down like one of The Three Stooges during a heroic speech as he is to valiantly battle aliens. Mark Ruffalo is more recognisable than ever in Hulk form thanks to the ever-improving mo-cap technology, bringing strangely endearing life to the big green guy, and he is equally fun as the fish-out-of-water Banner marvelling at whatever alien world antics are going on around him.

It may never end up being close to the weightiest Marvel offering; the world-ending destruction being enacted by Blanchett’s enjoyably over-the-top villain never holds the weight that the plot ultimately relies upon. But its first and last priority is to have a good time and in that respect Waititi’s especially eccentric offering wildly succeeds.

It’s big, colourful, spirited fun with its finger always ready to tickle the funny bone and its tongue lodged firmly in its cheek.