The Amazing Colossal Man

The first atomic plutonium bomb test at Desert Rock, Nevada, does not detonate as expected. Engineers scramble to understand the malfunction while alarms sound across the site. The failed detonation triggers an unforeseen sequence of events that set the plot in motion.

An unidentified civilian aircraft crash-lands near the site, forcing an emergency response. Lt. Colonel Glenn Manning runs into the detonation area to rescue the pilot, risking his life in the dangerous zone.

The bomb detonates and Glenn is caught in the radioactive blast. He survives the immediate explosion but is badly burned over much of his body. The event marks the start of his extraordinary transformation.

Glenn is treated by Dr. Paul Linstrom and Dr. Eric Coulter after the blast. Carol Forrest anxiously awaits any news, but Linstrom withholds the grim prognosis that Glenn is unlikely to survive. The secrecy underscores the military's desire to control information.

The next day, Linstrom and Coulter discover Glenn's burns have completely healed, shocking the medical team. Carol learns Glenn has survived, but the military moves him to an army rehabilitation and research center in Summit, Nevada. She goes there and is admitted to see him, though not allowed to breach security yet.

That evening, Carol visits Glenn at Summit and faints in horror as he stands at about 16 feet tall. The mutation is now evident, and both she and the doctors realize the danger is ongoing. The public remains unaware of the true size of the threat.

The next day, Linstrom explains that exposure to plutonium has caused Glenn's cells to multiply at an accelerated rate. The doctors acknowledge they may not be able to stop the growth and warn that it could continue until he dies. The revelation reframes Glenn's existence as a growing threat rather than a patient.

Awakening as his body continues to enlarge, Glenn stands about 22 feet tall and becomes distant and depressed. Carol tries to help, but his mood is clouded by fear and anger. The military still keeps Glenn's condition secret from the public.

As Glenn nears 30 feet, Linstrom warns that his heart is growing at half the rate of his body and may soon fail. He cautions Carol that Glenn's sanity could fail before his heart explodes. The grim prognosis deepens the sense of impending doom.

Glenn vanishes, prompting a 10-mile-wide search led by Colonel Hallock. Coulter and Linstrom scramble to find a solution as the military maintains a tight lid on the situation. The search underscores the national scale of the crisis.

News reports place a giant man heading toward Las Vegas, prompting panic and disbelief. Glenn rampages through casinos, destroying property including the Pioneer Club’s Vegas Vic sign. He then makes his way toward Boulder Dam.

In the final confrontation at Boulder Dam, Linstrom and Coulter attempt to stop Glenn's growth by injecting him with a syringe. Glenn removes the syringe and angrily spears Coulter, killing him. He then grabs Carol and, after a tense plea, releases her as Hallock's troops open fire. Glenn tumbles into the Colorado River to his apparent death.