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The Quake (2018) movie poster

Timeline

The Quake (2018) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2018 · 106 min · Norwegian
Echo score 75
JustWatch #23,069 1
Directed by
John Andreas Andersen
Starring
Kathrine Thorborg Johansen, Hang Tran, Stig R. Amdam, Ravdeep Singh Bajwa, Ane Dahl Torp, Edith Haagenrud-Sande
Budget
$6.3M

Beneath the Norwegian capital of Oslo lies the Oslo Rift, a seismic fault line that has caused daily tremors since 1904. The growing population and infrastructure have made the city increasingly vulnerable to a potentially devastating earthquake. As the frequency of these tremors continues, a sense of dread hangs over Oslo, raising the question of when a major earthquake will strike and threaten the lives of millions.

Action Drama Thriller Cast, crew & box office
On this page (5)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (14)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Quake (2018)

Where can you watch The Quake? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on fuboTV, Philo and Hoopla: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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14 events in order · contains spoilers

The Quake Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Quake (2018) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Hero of the Geiranger tsunami

    Kristian Eikjord, a geologist, is hailed as a hero for his actions during the Geiranger tsunami, guiding people to safety and saving lives. The rescue effort earns him praise and attention, but it also leaves him with survivor's guilt that he hides from others.

    When
    during the Geiranger tsunami
    Where
    Geiranger

  2. Three years later: fractured family life

    Three years later, Kristian's life has fallen apart: Idun divorces him and the children move to Oslo. Kristian withdraws into seclusion in Geiranger, increasingly distant from his family.

    When
    three years later
    Where
    Geiranger/Oslo

  3. Secret room

    He keeps a secret room in his house dedicated to the tsunami events and the fatalities, a private archive that nobody else is allowed to see. The secret room strains his relationship with Idun and the kids as they feel cut off from his grief.

    When
    present
    Where
    Geiranger

  4. Konrad Lindblom's death and investigation begins

    Kristian learns Konrad Lindblom has died in the Oslofjord Tunnel collapse and travels to Oslo to investigate. There he meets Konrad's supervisor, Johannes Løberg, who reassures him that the seismic concerns are baseless.

    When
    shortly after
    Where
    Oslo

  5. Konrad's house discoveries

    In Konrad's house, Kristian meets Konrad's daughter Marit and discovers Konrad's research—core samples and a map showing significant seismic activity. He tries to share his concerns with Johannes, who downplays the warnings.

    When
    same day
    Where
    Oslo

  6. Idun visits and Julia recital invitation

    Kristian visits Idun and meets Sondre and his girlfriend. He is invited to Julia's ballet recital, a reminder of what is at stake if the quake hits.

    When
    same day
    Where
    Oslo

  7. Oslofjord Tunnel core sample discovery

    The next day Kristian returns to Konrad's research and travels to the Oslofjord Tunnel to retrieve a core sample Konrad was pursuing. On the way back, he accidentally snaps the sample, and realizes the earth beneath Oslo is unusually weak.

    When
    the next day
    Where
    Oslofjord Tunnel

  8. Oslo Opera House destruction

    That same day, a seismic rift destroys the Oslo Opera House where Julia is performing; Idun manages to get Julia to safety. The event heightens Kristian's sense of urgency and guilt.

    When
    the same day
    Where
    Oslo Opera House

  9. Night of reconciliation

    That night, Kristian visits Idun to apologize for missing Julia's recital. They embrace and spend the night together, attempting to reconnect despite the looming threat.

    When
    that night
    Where
    Oslo

  10. Morning revelation: video and omen

    The following morning, Marit discovers a video on Konrad's computer showing his rats dying from toxic gas, confirming Kristian's fears. He concludes that a major earthquake—up to 8.5 on the Richter scale—will strike Oslo and that Konrad's death was an ominous warning.

    When
    morning
    Where
    Konrad's house

  11. Warning to Idun

    Kristian, Marit, and Julia rush to warn Idun at the Radisson Blu Plaza. He tries to contact Sondre, but Sondre ignores the warnings.

    When
    morning
    Where
    Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, Oslo

  12. University evacuation via fake bomb threat

    As the threat grows, Kristian places a call to evacuate the University of Oslo using a fake bomb threat, prompting the campus to clear out. Sondre is evacuated amid the alarms.

    When
    morning
    Where
    University of Oslo

  13. Hotel evacuation and Idun's death

    Inside the Radisson Blu, the evacuation unfolds as aftershocks hit. Kristian uses a severed elevator cord to swing toward a safe exit, but Idun falls to her death when power fails. He and Marit manage to rescue Julia, and the trio escapes the doomed hotel.

    When
    during the earthquake/aftershock
    Where
    Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, Oslo

  14. Aftermath and return to Geiranger

    The survivors return to Geiranger after the catastrophe, with Konrad's office largely destroyed except for a photo of his daughter. The film closes with a note about Norway's seismic activity north of the Alps and the expectation of a major earthquake in the future.

    When
    post-quake
    Where
    Geiranger

Last updated: February 03, 2026 at 07:41

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Timeline questions answered

The Quake Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Quake (2018): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why is Kristian Eikjord estranged from his family?

Kristian became emotionally distant after surviving the Geiranger tsunami, which left him with survivor's guilt. He built a secret room in his house dedicated to the tragedy and its victims, which his family was not allowed to see. This secretiveness and his inability to process his trauma caused his wife Idun to divorce him and move to Oslo with their children.

Foreshadowing: His heroics during the tsunami are mentioned in the opening, establishing his guilt before the divorce is explained.

  • kristian eikjord
  • divorce
  • idun
  • family
  • estrangement
  • trauma
  • survivor guilt
Q2

What is the secret room in Kristian's house?

The secret room is Kristian's private archive dedicated to the Geiranger tsunami tragedy. It contains mementos and information about the victims. Kristian keeps it hidden from everyone, including his family, which creates tension and contributes to his estrangement from his wife and children.

  • secret room
  • tsunami
  • memorial
  • kristian
  • victims
  • trauma
Q3

Why does Johannes Løberg dismiss Kristian's earthquake warnings?

Johannes Løberg, Konrad's supervisor, downplays the seismic concerns because he believes the tremors are merely construction blasting across the city. He urges caution and restraint, seemingly more concerned about avoiding panic than addressing the actual geological threat.

  • johannes løberg
  • warnings
  • earthquakes
  • seismic activity
  • konrad
Q4

How does the Oslo Opera House get destroyed during Julia's recital?

A seismic rift tears through Oslo during Julia's ballet recital at the Oslo Opera House. The destructive force of the earthquake physically tears the building apart, forcing Idun to rescue Julia and evacuate the venue before it collapses.

Foreshadowing: Kristian's research has already revealed concerning seismic readings, and he knows a major quake is imminent.

  • oslo opera house
  • earthquake
  • destruction
  • julia
  • recital
  • collapse
Q5

Why does Kristian create a fake bomb threat at the university?

Kristian orchestrates a fake bomb threat to force the University of Oslo to evacuate. He has been trying to warn his son Sondre about the impending earthquake, but Sondre ignores his calls. The bomb threat ensures Sondre is safely evacuated along with other students before the disaster strikes.

  • fake bomb threat
  • university
  • oslo
  • evacuation
  • sondre
  • kristian
Q6

How does Idun die in The Quake?

Idun dies during the earthquake while trapped in an elevator with Kristian. After the elevator carriage plunges and they're forced to climb, Kristian uses a severed elevator cord to swing across to safety. However, when power fails and the brakes on the elevator above them fail, Idun falls to her death.

Foreshadowing: The earthquake hits while they're together in the hotel, setting up the tragic sequence.

  • idun
  • death
  • elevator
  • earthquake
  • kristian
  • tragedy
Q7

What do the dead rats in Konrad's experiment mean?

Marit discovers a video showing Konrad testing his seismic theories on rats. The rats died from exposure to toxic gas released from the earth below Oslo. Kristian interprets this as a grim omen, a warning that a massive earthquake, potentially up to 8.5 on the Richter scale, is imminent.

Foreshadowing: Konrad died in the Oslofjord Tunnel collapse, which was caused by the same seismic activity.

  • rats
  • konrad
  • toxic gas
  • earthquake warning
  • seismic activity
  • omen
Q8

Why does Kristian believe a major earthquake is coming?

After analyzing Konrad's research, including core samples and seismic maps, and discovering the dead rats from toxic gas exposure, Kristian concludes that a massive earthquake of up to 8.5 magnitude will strike Oslo. The Oslo Rift has been causing daily tremors since 1904, and the recent activity indicates the fault is building toward a catastrophic release.

Foreshadowing: Kristian's expertise as a geologist and his investigation into Konrad's death lead him to connect all the warning signs.

  • earthquake prediction
  • magnitude
  • kristian
  • oslo rift
  • seismic activity
  • konrad
Q9

What happens to Sondre during the earthquake?

Sondre is at the University of Oslo when Kristian tries to warn him about the impending earthquake. Initially ignoring his father's calls, Sondre is ultimately evacuated thanks to the fake bomb threat Kristian orchestrated. He survives and later reunites with his family.

  • sondre
  • university
  • earthquake
  • survival
  • kristian
  • evacuation
Q10

Why does the family return to Geiranger at the end?

After surviving the earthquake in Oslo, Kristian, Julia, and Sondre return to their old home in Geiranger. The ending shows them attempting to rebuild their lives together, though they remain haunted by Idun's death. The closing note also explains that Norway sits atop significant seismic activity north of the Alps, leaving uncertainty about future earthquakes.

  • geiranger
  • family
  • return
  • ending
  • survival
  • reconstruction

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Quake, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Quake tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Family Survival Thrillers like The Quake

Fractured families must reunite to survive against an overwhelming natural disaster. If you enjoyed the high-tension family drama in The Quake, explore more movies where family reconciliation and the fight for survival are intertwined amidst disaster. These stories combine emotional weight with fast-paced, destructive action.

  • urgent
  • familial
  • destructive
  • survival
  • gripping
  • anxious
  • Tone: tense, urgent, melancholic
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically begins with a family unit under stress—often separated by grief, divorce, or work—before a cataclysmic event forces them to overcome their differences. The plot follows their perilous journey to reunite and survive against impossible odds, with the external disaster mirroring their internal conflicts.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together for their potent mix of high-intensity disaster action and deeply personal family drama. They share a tense tone, fast pacing, and a heavy emotional weight stemming from both the physical danger and the emotional stakes of saving loved ones.

Into the Storm movie poster

Into the Storm

2014
San Andreas movie poster

San Andreas

2015
Twister movie poster

Twister

1996
Greenland movie poster

Greenland

2020
Dante's Peak movie poster

Dante's Peak

1997
Deadfall movie poster

Deadfall

2012
The Impossible movie poster

The Impossible

2012
Twisters movie poster

Twisters

2024

Impending Doom Thrillers similar to The Quake

Characters race against time as scientists warn of an unavoidable catastrophe. Fans of The Quake's tense build-up and scientific premise will enjoy these movies centered on impending doom. Explore stories where experts race against skepticism and bureaucracy to prevent or survive a foreseen disaster.

  • anxious
  • gripping
  • dreadful
  • urgent
  • suspenseful
  • disastrous
  • Tone: tense, anxious, dreadful
  • Pacing: fast, escalating
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The story unfolds with the discovery of an impending threat, supported by scientific evidence. The central conflict involves battling institutional skepticism and public disbelief while the clock ticks down. The narrative structure is often straightforward, moving linearly from discovery to the inevitable, devastating event.

Why they belong together: These movies share a specific narrative pattern and tone. They are united by a tense, anxious mood driven by the inevitability of disaster, a fast-paced race against time, and the theme of a lone voice trying to alert an unprepared world.

The Day After Tomorrow movie poster

The Day After Tomorrow

2004
Meteor Apocalypse movie poster

Meteor Apocalypse

2010
Impact movie poster

Impact

1000
Magma: Volcanic Disaster movie poster

Magma: Volcanic Disaster

2006
Atomic Twister movie poster

Atomic Twister

2002
Disaster Zone: Volcano in New York movie poster

Disaster Zone: Volcano in New York

2006
The Lost Missile movie poster

The Lost Missile

1958
Crack in the World movie poster

Crack in the World

1965

Every angle

The Quake (2018) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Quake in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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