The book looks into how early pioneers, such as Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd, laid the groundwork for modern stunts. It traces the development of specialized equipment, from early airbag systems to contemporary CGI, and analyzes their impact on the realism and complexity of action sequences.
The narrative progresses chronologically, beginning with the silent film era and moving through the Golden Age of Hollywood, the rise of Hong Kong action cinema, and finally, an examination of contemporary stunt work and its future.