While I certainly don’t condone theft of any kind (except those conducted by the Hamburglar), movie piracy remains a widespread activity throughout the internet. Many cyber thieves use various BitTorrent clients and websites to procure their plundered digital booty, and despite its less than high moral standing, there are several admittedly enticing benefits to this practice. Likewise, there are some very notable drawbacks.

Are you better off obeying the law, or should you hoist up your Jolly Roger with pride? Here’s a quick breakdown of the pros and cons that will help you draw your own conclusions.

Pros

• It’s Free – This one’s pretty obvious.  Since you’re stealing, you don’t actually have to pay for anything! Which means, if the movie sucks, you aren’t stuck with the nagging knowledge that you just self-financed your own bitter disappointment.
• The Thrill – Traveling to your local cineplex can be fun, but when was the last time a trip to the movies came with the risk of a lawsuit? What about actual jail time? With its potential legal penalties, BitTorrent downloading can make even watching The Notebook dangerous and edgy.
• The Selection of Rare Titles – Your local Best Buy might have plenty of copies of the 2005 big budget Fantastic Four film — but does it have the infamous, unreleased low budget 1994 version produced by Roger Corman? Didn’t think so.
• Early Leaks and Workprint Releases – Do you want to watch upcoming blockbusters months in advance? Do you want to watch upcoming blockbusters months in advance and with unintentionally hilarious incomplete special effects? Of course you do.
• You Get to Be a Pirate but Without All the Eyeliner – Stealing movies through BitTorrent means you get to officially call yourself a pirate. And you don’t even need the eye patch, pegleg, makeup, funny hat, or puffy shirt!

Cons

• The Guilt – By pirating a movie you’re essentially stealing straight from the hardworking filmmakers who poured their heart, sweat, and tears into it. Well, except if you’re stealing a Michael Bay movie. The only things he seems to pour into his films are lighter fluid and Axe body spray.
• The Consequences – While millions might get away with torrenting every day, a few unlucky individuals have faced serious legal repercussions. Do you really want to be the guy who gets sued for downloading Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star?
• Shaky Camera Bootlegs – Getting to see a film for free might make it seem like you’re sticking it to greedy movie producers and hiked-up ticket prices, but if you still have to stare at the back of some guy’s head, what battle have you really won?
• Mislabeled Files – There’s nothing worse than expecting to download Danny Boyle’s acclaimed horror flick 28 Days Later, only to load up the file and discover that it’s actually the Sandra Bullock romantic dramedy 28 Days. Though, I imagine the other way around is probably pretty jarring too…
• You Get to Be a Pirate but Without All the Eyeliner – On second thought, what’s the point of getting to call yourself a pirate if you don’t get to wear the eye patch, pegleg, makeup, funny hat, and puffy shirt too?! Those are like the main selling points of piracy!

The Pros and Cons of Pirating Movies Through Torrenting