Konga

Not quite the King Kong copy that it seems, Konga can actually be taken seriously for the first 30 or 40 minutes. Michael Gough's Dr. Decker - the resolute unsmiling researcher - is so intense that you find yourself drawn into his obsessive scheme to find an evolutionary link between plants and animals. You wonder about the love triangle between Decker, his redheaded assistant/ paramour, and his eager blonde student. Then everything gets progressively ridiculous, including both the ideas in the story and the behavior of the characters. Konga starts out as a small chimpanzee, then turns into a large chimpanzee after Decker injects him with green plant extracts. Then he turns into a gorilla (why suddenly a gorilla? was a gorilla suit all that was available?). Then, at last, he grows larger and larger until the army moves in.

While most scenes are entertaining, three flaws keep Konga from the ranks of high camp. First, the ape should have had a personality. As it is, we only see him as a helpless hypnotized pawn. He's always being controlled by one master or another. He might as well be a robot. Second, the final battle is over in moments. Konga destroys only a few small buildings. He threatens Big Ben but never touches it. During the "battle" he merely stands around in one place while getting shot. Third, the picture lacks any sense of humor about itself.

Goldweber, David Elroy (2012-06-14). Claws & Saucers: Science Fiction, Horror, and Fantasy Film: A Complete Guide: 1902-1982 (Kindle Locations 42627-42644). David E. Goldweber. Kindle Edition.