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The Deceivers (1988)

Rate: 7
Viewed: 12/16

Deceivers
12/16: If you can't get enough of the Thuggees in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, then make The Deceivers your next fix.

The word "thug" has its origins in an Indian gang of thieving assassins who, in the name of the Hindu Goddess Kali, murdered travelers by strangulation. It would last for six centuries until the British finally formed an intelligence unit to end the practice prior to the turn of the 20th century.

Hence, it's the basis of the story for The Deceivers which is based on John Masters' eponymous book. If you're familiar with Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, you can always expect high quality with a distinct novel feel.

You know, it's offensive when white thespians are asked to be black/brownfaced to play foreign characters, but I don't feel this way here because that's the whole point: a white British soldier goes undercover by pretending to be an Indian Thuggee to gather intelligence. So, the real question is: did it work for Pierce Brosnan? Well, I can tell Indians apart, so I'll say, "Um...a little bit." But I've been more convinced by the makeup job over time. I like the story, and the whole thing is fascinating.

Shot on location around the northwest parts of India for four months, the cinematography is rich, and there are plenty of references to the Indian culture including the elephant death circle and the suttee (sati) which is a Hindu practice of the widow throwing herself onto her husband's funeral pyre.

Pierce Brosnan is fine, and I've enjoyed his performance. While watching him, I can't help but say, "He'll be James Bond in the future." It's a fact that Pierce Brosnan will never escape the identity, no matter how hard he tries to shake it off.

All in all, The Deceivers, a huge box-office failure, is a well-made Merchant Ivory action-adventure picture that relies on old-fashioned storytelling.