One of the things I like most about this film is the fact that the writer used a beast to man transformation scenario insted of the standard man to beast. Much like Frankenstein, the line is blurred on who is the true monster. As the title says, in this one, man (or, more to the point, science without a moral compass) is the true terror.
The film is dated. It can't help but be so. All told though, the creature effects were passable for its day and better than quite a few contemporaries sporting way larger budgets!
Here's hoping the panther-man found a nice secluded island with some ship-wrecked, tanked up sorority girls and he's knee deep in kittens!