Following the cold, distant and somewhat hesitant Star Trek: The Motion Picture, this full-blooded space adventure reintroduced audiences to the breathless excitement of the original TV series. 

Capturing the intrepid spirit and camaraderie at the heart of the series and giving Kirk a worthy opponent to lock horns with, Wrath of Khan ensured that Star Trek would be a cinematic mainstay for years to come. 

On a mission to find an uninhabited world on which to test the Genesis Device – a powerful invention that can turn barren worlds into lush paradises – Commander Pavel Chekov (Koenig) is captured by Khan Noonien Singh (Montalban). 

A genetically-engineered uber-mensch from the twentieth century, Khan and his crew were marooned on the desolate planet of Ceti Alpha V by Captain Kirk (Shatner) many years before. 

Having lost his wife to one of the planet's deadly creatures, Khan vows vengeance on Kirk, taking control of Chekov's ship, The Reliant, and setting out to get his hands on the potentially destructive Genesis Device. 

Heading a training mission in the USS Enterprise, Kirk (Shatner) receives a fraught message from Carol Marcus (Bibi Besch), the head of Project Genesis and the mother of his son David (Merritt Butrick). 

Rushing across the galaxy to her aid, the Enterprise is ambushed by The Reliant, and as Khan uses his genetically advanced intelligence to exact his vengeance on Kirk, an epic battle of wits begins. 

“He tasks me!” hisses Khan in one of the film's most memorable moments, and it is indeed this matching of Kirk with a foe who could believably best him that makes Meyer's film such an enduring favourite. 

Neatly rectifying the off-putting mistake of having Kirk go head-to-head with an amorphous cloud in the first movie, the reintroduction of Khan, a character from the original TV series, instantly injects some much-needed life into the proceedings. 

A very human villain with understandable motivations yet questionable methods, Khan is played with a winning mixture bravado, menace and pathos by Montalban, best known beforehand for his role on TV show Fantasy Island.    

Across the board this is a far more emotional, passionate film than its predecessor, building to the devastating finale that paves the way for Star Trek III: The Search For Spock. 

Even with the full knowledge that the Vulcan science officer will most definitely return, Nimoy's climactic scenes still send shivers up the spine, deftly bringing home the central themes of duty and sacrifice set up in the film's opening scenes. 

It's telling that JJ Abrams has appropriated so many elements of Wrath of Khan for his Star Trek reboot, from the 'Kobayshi Maru' training exercise, to the vengeful villain taking a grievance to extremes. 

Probably the best-remembered of the franchise, it's a well-paced mixture of adventure and excitement with real dramatic weight and one of the best cinema baddies ever, making it no surprise that it still forms the blueprint for subsequent Star Trek adventures.

Chris Prince