Donnie Yen on Playing a Blind Assassin in John Wick: Chapter 4 & Fracturing Mike Tyson’s Pinky

Although the cast of John Wick has always been full of outstanding character actors, the pairing of John Wick: Chapter 4 and Donnie Yen is fortunate. He's a legendary martial artist in an American franchise that was founded on its adoration of Asian cinema, and he's the second highest-billed actor in Chapter 4 behind Keanu Reeves? Please, yes. His three-dimensional material and equally heartfelt and gritty performance almost go beyond what his audience is due. It's undoubtedly the Hollywood esteem an artist of Yen's tremendous caliber deserves as he has been one of the most significant and enduring stars in Chinese-language cinema since the 1990s.

What Drives John Wick: Chapter 4's Caine, played by Donnie Yen?
Donnie Yen in Chapter 4 of John Wick (Lionsgate)
Like many assassins who come across John Wick in the four films, Yen's Caine is an ex-colleague of Wick's and an assassin. However there are some crucial differences between Caine's function in Chapter 4. Caine is a devoted parent and has achieved retirement, something Wick tried and failed to do. He also has no motivation to assassinate Wick for personal or financial gain. The latter aspect of this man's moral code is by far the most significant. Caine is introduced to the audience as he watches from a distance while a young street violinist performs while holding a faded photo of a young girl. To shield his daughter from the repercussions of his death-dealing past, he keeps his distance from her, and Yen gives Caine a quiet, worn-out desire.

When High Table member Marquis Vincent de Gramont (Bill Skarsgrd) threatens to kill Caine's daughter in cold blood if Caine refuses to kill Wick, or even fails to do so, his worst fears are confirmed. Although Caine first believed the Marquis had made him an offer and hastily disputes the contract for Wick's life, there was never a legitimate option in the matter. If Wick's motivation in the first John Wick was retribution, then Caine's is fierce protection.

The most enjoyable part of "John Wick" is Donnie Yen's portrayal of Caine.
Picture from Lionsgate of Bill Skarsgard and Donnie Yen in John Wick: Chapter 4
One might assume that such a dire circumstance would preclude any thought of having fun, but Yen pulls off an incredible tightrope act in keeping with the tone of the franchise: he is obviously having a blast without surrendering gravity. As Caine joins the Marquis in its assault on the Osaka Continental Hotel, director Chad Stahelski and actor Yen don't waste any time in setting up this showmanship. When the Marquis's men are being slaughtered in large numbers, he is more than happy to take his time and eat a leisurely supper in a secure kitchen nook. It serves as both a brazen display of swagger and a charming act of simple vengeance against the Marquis.

This is only logical considering how enjoyable and admirable it is to witness the 59-year-old Yen in his environment. Caine delivers one-liners that are as smooth as his sword's blade and stars in quick-witted action scenes that are only half-heartedly executed. John Wick is at its most enjoyable during the doorbell sound alarms, and unlike Yen's performance as another blind fighter in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Caine lacks the Force to direct his actions. He has decades of mixed martial arts experience, like Yen himself, and his delivery is lightning-quick with grace.

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The global box office for "John Wick: Chapter 4" reaches a franchise high of $137.5 million.

Chapter 4's Heart Is Caine, Not John Wick
Picture courtesy of Lionsgate: john-wick-4-donnie-yen-social-feature
But Caine also serves as the unwavering core of John Wick: Chapter 4. Throughout the franchise, John has run into and killed a lot of familiar faces. Chapter 4 gains the thematic gravity required to successfully wrap up this section of the franchise by making Wick's final kill-or-be-killed standoff with a respected friend. The first meeting between Wick and Caine is filled with dread and resignation. Even if he hates having to perform this necessary chore and only wants the nasty deed to be finished, the latter won't show mercy, leaving the former feeling misled. Unlike Shimazu Koji (Hiroyuki Sanada), the father of Akira (Rina Sawayama), Caine is not in a position to both appreciate and protect his daughter while still maintaining his connection with John. Yet as the situation draws closer to its inevitable end, Caine becomes even more frantic, barely controlling his wrath at the Marquis and hiding his concern for his child's safety. He questions John Wick's allegiances after three flicks because he has too sympathetically accessible motives.