Crowbar

In the small town of Coburg, a young boy named Wendell Graves witnesses the brutal murder of his parents in their own bedroom. He watches in horror as a masked man stabs the couple repeatedly with a crowbar. Wendell escapes and spends the next 15 years of his life silently locked up in his aunt's farmhouse. There she plays the innocent caretaker, brainwashing him into believing that anyone and everyone who enters his parents' home is an intruder who must meet the same fate as they did. When newcomers Alex and Veronica move to town, they have no idea the fate that awaits them. On the first night in their new home, Wendell returns to destroy the intruders. After slashing his way through Veronica's friends, Wendell disappears into the night leaving Alex and Veronica searching for answers. Receiving no help from the people who live in the strange town, Alex and Veronica discover the tragic past that threatens to swallow them as it has so many before.

Directed by Scott Phillips, Crowbar leans on a strong ensemble — Scout Sinay, Conner Criswell, Penny Shaw — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about horror titles of 2011.