The Quake
The Quake Review: Story, Cast, Rating & Final Verdict
Last updated: April 17, 2026
Movie Overview: The Quake
| Movie | The Quake |
| Release Year | 2018 |
| Director | John Andreas Andersen |
| Genre | Action / Drama / Thriller |
| Runtime | 106 minutes |
| Language | NO |
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is The Quake (2018) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a HIT with a verified audience rating of 6.7/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this Action.
Cast & Character Study
The performances in The Quake are led by Kristoffer Joner . The supporting cast, including Ane Dahl Torp and Jonas Hoff Oftebro , provides the necessary layers to the central narrative.
movieMx Verdict: Is it Worth Your Time?
What Works in the Movie
The Quake stands out as a strong entry in the Action genre. The film benefits from engaging storytelling, memorable performances, and solid production values that help keep viewers invested.
- Compelling performances from the main cast
- Strong visual storytelling and direction
- Well-structured Action narrative
- Satisfying emotional or dramatic payoff
What Doesn't Work
Despite its strengths, The Quake has a few issues that may affect the overall viewing experience, particularly in terms of pacing and narrative consistency.
- Uneven pacing in certain parts of the film
- Some predictable plot developments
- May not appeal to audiences outside the Action fanbase
Story & Plot Summary: The Quake
Quick Plot Summary: Released in 2018, The Quake is a Action, Drama, Thriller film directed by John Andreas Andersen. The narrative delivers highly intense sequences and pulse-pounding confrontations that keep viewers on the edge of their seats. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict involving Kristoffer Joner.
Story Breakdown
In this high-octane feature, John Andreas Andersen establishes a narrative structure that follows a classic action blueprint: establishing the protagonist's world, introducing a formidable antagonist, and escalating the stakes. A geologist races against time to save his estranged wife and two children when a devastating earthquake strikes Oslo, Norway. The film balances spectacular set pieces with character moments for Kristoffer Joner, ensuring the action serves the story rather than overwhelming it.
Narrative Structure
- Opening Hook: The title opens with an explosive sequence that immediately establishes the stakes and introduces our protagonist in action.
- Character Arc: The main character shows growth throughout the story, though some supporting characters could have been more fully realized. Kristoffer Joner's arc is present but occasionally predictable.
- Climax & Resolution: The final confrontation delivers on the buildup, with stakes at their highest and the protagonist using everything they've learned.
Ending Explained: The Quake
The Quake Ending Explained: Directed by John Andreas Andersen, The Quake wraps up the main storyline while leaving some interpretation to viewers. The ending highlights the core action themes developed throughout the film.
The final twist encourages viewers to reconsider earlier moments in the story, particularly in scenes involving Kristoffer Joner. The interpretation of the ending may vary among viewers.
Key Elements of the Ending
- Narrative Resolution: The story resolves its primary conflict while leaving room for interpretation.
- Character Development: Character motivations become clearer by the final scenes.
- Thematic Message: The ending reinforces the action themes introduced earlier in the film.
The final moments of The Quake reflect the creative choices of the filmmakers and align with the tone of the narrative.
Who Should Watch The Quake?
Worth Watching If You:
- Enjoy Action films and don't mind familiar tropes
- Are a fan of Kristoffer Joner or the director
- Want an adrenaline rush without demanding perfection
Box Office Collection: The Quake
| Metric / Region | Collection (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Production Budget | $6.3M |
| Trade Verdict | CLEAN HIT |
The Quake Budget
The estimated production budget for The Quake is $6.3M. This figure covers principal photography, talent acquisitions, and visual effects. When accounting for global marketing and distribution, the break-even point is typically 2x the base production cost.
Top Cast: The Quake
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Where to Watch The Quake Online?
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FlixFlingThe Quake Parents Guide & Age Rating
2018 AdvisoryWondering about The Quake age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of The Quake is 106 minutes (1h 46m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 6.7/10, and global performance metrics, The Quake is classified as a HIT. It remains an essential part of the 2018 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Quake worth watching?
The Quake is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Action movies. It has a verified rating of 6.7/10 and stands as a HIT in our box office analysis.
Where can I find The Quake parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for The Quake identifies it as PG-13. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of The Quake?
The total duration of The Quake is 106 minutes, which is approximately 1h 46m long.
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How The Quake Compares & Where it Ranks
Critic Reviews for The Quake
**An imitation of American cinema that comes from Norway.** Disaster films are one of those classics that cinema has used us to, mainly due to the dramatic and bloated Hollywood films. This film is not American, it comes from freezing Norway, but all the melodramatic and emphatic language of US cinema is present throughout the film. I confess that I was a little surprised to see a Norwegian film about a devastating earthquake. I'm not a geologist, but I don't associate the danger of the most intense earthquakes with Norway. The country, naturally, suffers some moderate earthquakes every year and, in fact, a more intense event was recorded at the beginning of the 20th century, in which the capital was seriously affected. However, the Norwegian earthquakes are tickles when compared to those that shake Turkey, China, India and the Atlantic and Hawaiian archipelagos. The Oslo earthquake, which the film talks about, did not even reach an intensity of 6 on the Richter Scale, that is, it was weaker than the recent earthquake in Marrakesh and does not even compare to the presumed 9 that, in 1755, devastated Lisbon and significant parts of North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. In any case, the film is reasonably good and entertains us satisfactorily. I didn't see the previous film nor did I know it existed, although I suspected it when I saw some scenes at the beginning, a suspicion that I clarified when documenting myself to write this text. Naturally, being my first contact with Norwegian cinema, I didn't know the director John Andreas Andersen nor do I know any of the actors. However, what I saw pleased me: Andersen shows himself to be a disciple of US cinema and draws inspiration from films like “Volcano”, “Dante's Peak” and “Daylight” in a way that is so evident that it seems like a collage. The script copies elements from these different films and gives us an almost identical story, based on the hero's attempts to warn of an imminent catastrophe despite the deafness of the competent authorities to deal with it. However, the film has strength, drama, soul and movement, avoiding dead moments and making almost no concessions to cheap melodrama. The worst part is seeing that Andersen was unable to create a closed ending, leaving his characters hanging in danger without us knowing how they ended the day. Perhaps more relevant than anything else, including the performance of each of the actors, is the excellent introduction and use of visual effects and CGI, which give us what we are looking for in a film of this kind: chaos, destruction and danger. The film manages to take advantage of the effects to create good dramatic tension and a convincing sense of danger. The actors, of course, are a welcomed help: although Edith Haagenruud-Sande has an irritating character who seems to act without any conscience in the face of danger, the protagonist, Kristoffer Joner, is solid enough to transform his hero into someone sympathetic. Less fortunate were the two actresses Ane Dahl Torp and Kathrine Johansen: despite all their efforts, which I recognize, their characters are left here, creating the illusion of a potential love triangle that never materializes. I also didn't like Jonas Oftebro's character, an actor who doesn't seem solid or consistent either: his character's father shows up unexpectedly when he was going out with his girlfriend, and he is unable to tell the little princess “be patient, we'll go out later; at least, I’m going to serve my dad's a hot coffee and listen to what he wants”? What a beautiful son!
movieMx Verified
This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.
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