The Grave

The Grave

Year: 1996

Runtime: 90 mins

Language: English

Director: Jonas Pate

HorrorCrimeThriller

Some secrets are better left buried. Two prisoners escape with the help of their jailer to search for a treasure that is supposedly buried with a dead millionaire.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – The Grave (1996)

Trace every key event in The Grave (1996) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Wex's Legend Ignites a Quest for Treasure

In a Southern prison, inmate Wex tells King and Tyn about a local legend of a fortune hidden in Masterson's grave. The tale plants a dangerous motive that will guide their decisions. The framing suggests the storyteller’s voice will echo through the events to come.

Two years earlier Southern prison cell
2

Escape Deal with Officer J.C. Cole

King strikes a deal with the crooked officer J.C. Cole to secure an escape in exchange for a share of the fortune. The bargain relies on the legend rather than lawful means, setting a risky path ahead. It foreshadows a collision between greed and loyalty.

Two years earlier Prison block
3

The Breakout

The brothers stage a jailbreak, slipping past guards in a chaotic escape. It is messy but effective, breaking them out of confinement. The escape launches their pursuit of the rumored Masterson fortune.

Two years earlier Prison grounds
4

Tyn is Wounded; The Path to Purcell

On the run, Tyn is shot while attempting to steal clothes from a laundry line. The wound is severe and they fear recapture before proper medical care. They decide to seek help from Travis Purcell, a mortician, rather than risk a hospital.

Shortly after escape Escape route; near a home; Travis Purcell's facility
5

King Leaves Tyn with Purcell; Jordan Encounter

King leaves Tyn in Travis Purcell's care and visits his ex-girlfriend Jordan, who is unhappy to see him. They end up spending the night together, while J.C. spies on them from the shadows. The web of trust and betrayal tightens around their plan.

Following the escape Travis Purcell's place and Jordan's home
6

Tyn's Interrogation and Death

Travis determines that Tyn's wound is mortal and threatens to withhold treatment unless he reveals what he knows about the grave. Tyn reluctantly provides information but dies soon after. Travis, driven by fear and ambition, begins to assemble the others for a graver plan.

Shortly after Jordan's visit Travis Purcell's space
7

The Grave Digging Crew Forms

With Tyn dead, Boo and Cletus join Travis to dig up Masterson's grave. They unearth the coffin and find rings on Masterson's fingers, hinting at a hidden fortune. Travis pockets a ring, hoping it proves valuable.

Night Masterson's grave site
8

King's Return and Boo's Interception

Boo knocks out a man near the grave who turns out to be King arriving to reclaim the scene. The tension rises as loyalties fracture and the truth about the grave begins to surface. In the next moment, J.C. ambushes Boo and incapacitates him.

Next morning Grave site vicinity
9

Jordan's Ring Lore at the Antique Shop

Travis and Cletus seek Jordan’s help at her antique shop to interpret markings on Masterson's ring. Jordan explains the legend about Masterson and Ophelia and reveals that the rings must be interlocked to reveal the truth. She hints that the fortune may lie with Ophelia.

After the grave digging Jordan's antique shop
10

The Companion Ring and Ophelia's Grave

Interlocking the rings reveals that the treasure is in Ophelia's grave, not Masterson's. King is alive thanks to this twist, and the group heads back to claim the fortune. They realize the real clue lies in Ophelia's tomb.

Shortly after ring discovery Path to Ophelia's grave / Ophelia's grave site
11

Opening Ophelia's Grave and the Vault

They lift the stone cover from Ophelia's grave and find a ladder into an underground tunnel and a vault containing Ophelia’s remains along with Masterson's riches. In their celebratory mood, someone locks the vault door from the outside, trapping the group inside. Jordan emerges from Ophelia's grave as the mastermind behind the betrayal.

Inside the grave site Ophelia's grave site / underground vault
12

Confrontation and Death of J.C.

Inside the vault, Jordan confronts J.C.; she shoots him in the throat as he moves toward her, and then uses a hidden shotgun to kill him when he misreads the threat. The betrayal shifts to violence as the police tighter around the survivors. The fortune glitters just out of reach as chaos erupts.

Inside the vault Vault interior
13

Back to the Cell: The Storyteller Revealed

Returning to the prison cell, the unseen storyteller is revealed to be Jordan, now speaking with an artificial larynx. She hints at the fate of Masterson's changeling and contemplates the cost of greed. A priest sits nearby as she speaks of judgment and consequence.

Present Prison cell
14

Execution at Dawn

Jordan is escorted to the electric chair at dawn, the culmination of her crimes. The sentence marks the end of her tale and a brutal justice that mirrors the legend’s danger. The first light of day underscores the high price of their greed.

Dawn Electric chair chamber
15

Cemetery Epilogue

Some time later, a priest visits Ophelia's grave in the cemetery and opens it, hinting at what remains hidden about Masterson's fortune and Ophelia herself. The final image leaves the truth unsettled while underscoring the cost of greed and the mystery surrounding Masterson’s changeling.

Some time later Ophelia's grave site / cemetery

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 12:14

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The Grave (1996) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

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