I'm not a Trekkie; I'm into movies. I saw/loved the first one. I was drawn in by the storyline and acting having not seen the TV show or previous movies. Sitting down watching the second installment I can tell it's grown.
The first set up James Kirk as the captain of the Starship Enterprise who has a way with the ladies. This one shows he is more captain than ladies' man. He still is a player, but he's matured. He has honor. He has friends. I was THOROUGHLY impressed.
Lemme also say this I went to the movies with my brother-in-law whom is married to my sister with two children. Most masculine man I've met. He got SO into the storyline and acting I look over and this man shed a tear at one scene like it was "Titanic 2." In the 9 years I've known him, been to funerals with him, and asked about how the birth of his first child was have never seen or heard he cried. I was SHOCKED!!!!! What's that mean? This movie is amazing. To get someone as macho as my brother-in-law to shed a tear means this movie did what very few sequels can do: surpass the original.
I highly recommend this movie. You will be entertained from the beginning to the end. It's better you see the first because it makes this movie FLOW, but it's not necessary. And what I love is it's not necessary to see the first set of films/TV series.