Even after what may well be my 100th viewing of this film, I still get pretty emotional at the ending.

While _Star Trek: The Motion Picture_ had been a financial success, it went so wildly over budget (and was really dull), that a sequel wasn't guaranteed. When a new Trek film was finally greenlit, it would have to be made on a very small budget. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as many of the best things are made when you have to work within restrictions. Lack of budget meant that the filmmakers would have to be creative and make a strong, exciting story be the main force of the film.

_Star Trek II_ delivers on that front, and marks such a change in tone for the franchise that it's almost a soft reboot. For me, this is where Star Trek really begins. While the film doesn't ignore what's come before, it establishes many things that would remain with the whole series.

This time around, Kirk and crew are training up a new bunch of inexperienced cadets on the Enterprise when an old enemy resurfaces and is intent on exacting his revenge. By this point, the cast are beginning to show their age and the film acknowledges this beautifully. It deals greatly with themes of getting older and of obsession, from both protagonist and antagonist.

The movie is tense, exciting and gripping. And yet, it doesn't move at a breakneck pace. I really appreciate the time the film takes to set things up and establish the characters. I love the revelation that Kirk needs reading glasses and is embarrassed to let his bridge crew see him wearing them. These are a wonderful bunch of people to spend time with. Add the fantastic Ricardo Montalban into the mix as Khan and you have something very special. Once the action does begin, it benefits from the time taken to get there, because as a viewer you are completely in it.

Parts of the film become almost like a submarine movie as a game of cat-and-mouse begins. The effects budget for this film was used well, with the filmmakers saving money by re-using a lot of shots, set decoration and props from other films. The new shots they do use are spectacular, and I really love the model work for the spaceships. Additionally, it has one of the earliest uses of CGI.

Through all this, the film never loses the emotional impact. The modern Trek films are all pretty mindless action with jokes thrown in, _Star Trek II_ has action and humour (McCoy is great: "would you like the sedatives?") but also has heart and makes you care. Plus the nasty ear-bug torture scene really disturbed me as a little kid.

Add to that a _gorgeous_ soundtrack (elements of which were later reworked for _Aliens_), and it ensures that I will never get tired of this wonderful film and I would recommend it as a perfect starting point for anyone who's never seen any Star Trek.