I missed watching this in theaters since at that time I don't care that much for Filipino movies. When this film has been released in video (betamax at that time) I asked my sister to rent it. I regret that I wasn't able to watch it on the big screen. First, the great casting of all Lino Brocka babies (Hilda Koronel, Christopher De Leon and Bembol Roco) except Sharon Cuneta (the Philippines' Megastar) make up for this somewhat clichéd 'pinoy' melodrama based on comics but comes up with strong performances for all of the actors especially Sharon as the vengeful Salve. Acclaimed-Director Lino Brocka brings out the best in her, most especially the 'final' confrontation scene. You feel for her character as she try to rebuild her life while at the same time planning to destroy the life of a man she truly love.

There's lots of psychology in this movie, it's the story of a beloving wife whose life is ruined by her own husband who wants to marry another woman. You'll find here the typical reaction of those women, quite a common type of them indeed, that can't stop loving those who hurt them. When Salve, the victim wife, experiments that mixed feelings of hate and love, she found the energy and determination who leads her to rebuild her life and eventually deal with her ex husband and his new wife showing a new surprising strength and a violence derived from her wounded soul. Along the way to her new life she'll find the love of a faithful and caring man but... The narration is very dynamic, and is presented in a way that is quite unusual for occidental movies.