Isang Bala, Isang Buhay

1989 action film starring Bong Revilla

Jose Carreon
Jojo M. Lapus

Produced byJesse EjercitoStarring

Ramon 'Bong' Revilla Jr.
Dawn Zulueta

CinematographyEly CruzEdited byEdgardo VinaraoMusic byJaime Fabregas

Production
companies

Viva Films
Imus Productions

Distributed byViva Films

Release date

November 2, 1989 (1989-11-02)

CountryPhilippinesLanguageFilipino

Isang Bala, Isang Buhay (lit. 'One Bullet, One Life') is a 1989 Filipino action film co-written and directed by Jose N. Carreon. The film stars Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., Tony Ferrer, Dawn Zulueta, Suzanne Gonzales, Rosemarie Gil, Paquito Diaz, Ruben Rustia, Subas Herrero, Dencio Padilla, and Ilonnah Jean. Produced by Viva Films and Imus Productions, the film was released on November 2, 1989.

Critic Justino Dormiendo of the National Midweek gave the film a negative review, criticizing its cliché plot that fictionalizes the real story it is based on.

Cast

Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. as Daniel Zarragoza
Dawn Zulueta as Dolores^[1]
Tony Ferrer as Roman
Suzanne Gonzales as Celis
Rosemarie Gil as Dolores' Mother
Romeo Rivera as Dolores' Father
Paquito Diaz as Rigor
Ruben Rustia as Don Honorio
Subas Herrero as Mr. Abad
Dencio Padilla as Mang Doming
Ilonnah Jean as Maita
George Estregan Jr. as ex-commando
Rez Cortez as Ex-Commando
Robert Talabis as Capt. Omar
Bing Davao as Ex-Commando
Mon Godiz as Ex-Commando
Edwin Reyes as Ex-Commando
Roldan Aquino as Lt. Roldan
RR Herrera as Monching
Rudy Meyer as Barbie
Mario Escudero as Mr. Zulueta
Arthur Santamaria as Arvee

Production

Isang Bala, Isang Buhay is actress Ilonah Jean's first film for Viva Films.^[2]

Release

Isang Bala, Isang Buhay was released in theaters on November 2, 1989.^[3]^[4]

Critical response

Justino Dormiendo, writing for the National Midweek, gave the film a negative review. He criticized the film's tired plot of "gold-hearted goons forced to embrace a life of crime and mayhem" which fictionalizes the true story from which it is based, and noted that Daniel's principle of using only one bullet for every opponent makes the film absurd "as soon as Revilla guns down his second victim." He also considered the actor's performances to be "barely passable." Overall, Dormiendo expressed disappointment in the film due to director Carreon previously demonstrating his filmmaking skills through his "brilliantly-scripted" Broken Marriage (1983) and "impressive directorial debut" Sandakot Na Bala (1988).^[5]

References

^ "After Robin, now Bong". Manila Standard. Kagitingan Publications, Inc. November 4, 1989. p. 27. Retrieved July 9, 2021. Dawn is Dolores...
^ Lam, Lulubelle (November 5, 1989). "Edu worried about Lucky". Manila Standard. Kagitingan Publications, Inc. p. 17. Retrieved July 9, 2021. Ilonah Jean signed up with Viva Films but until now, she is not yet given any assignments. [sic]
^ "Movie Guide". Manila Standard. Kagitingan Publications, Inc. November 2, 1989. p. 16. Retrieved July 9, 2021. AMOR 2........Isang Bala, Isang Buhay
^ "Movie Guide". Manila Standard. Kagitingan Publications, Inc. November 1, 1989. p. 27. Retrieved July 9, 2021. AMOR 2..........Jones Bridge Massacre
^ Dormiendo, Justino (November 29, 1989). "Cold and Lifeless". National Midweek. Lagda Publishing Inc. pp. 28–29. Retrieved July 9, 2021. There is a new kind of violence being inflicted on today's local screen—the reel-life exploits of real-life gangsters and hoodlums. [...] The film's scenarists, Jose Carreon (who also directed) and Jojo Lapus, attempt to refurbish a plot worn-out and puerile with their fictional embellishments...