When Franco Zeffirelli was making the movie Jesus of Nazareth he decided he was going to show Jesus bursting out of the cave on Easter. He and his film crew tried to get that on film, but he said that they kept running into problems, such as camera breakdown and sand storms. He finally gave up and settled for the empty tomb as the Gospels describe it.
All four Gospels have only three things in common in reporting the Resurrection: Sunday morning, empty tomb, and Mary Magdalene. Based on books I've read recently, I like to think that the stone was rolled back from the tomb, not to let Jesus out, but to show us that Jesus was not there. Once risen, he was not longer bound by space or time. For instance, the doors to the upper room are locked when he suddenly appears to the disciples. It helps to account for the variety of stories about the appearances of the Risen Christ.
It also helps us to believe that the Risen Christ is really present to us and in us.
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