Subtitles do nothing but ruin user experience between video entertainment and enjoyment by distracting the viewer, destroying suspense, and blemishing great cinematography. 

One of the greatest disadvantages of using subtitles is the way they take away from the cinematic experience. Producers, cinematographers and directors spend years making and perfecting films and TV  shows. When someone chooses to use subtitles during their viewing experience, the text invades upon the work those artists have created.

Senior Sam Necker is strongly against the use of subtitles. “They completely take away from the experience the creators have made for the viewer. They should only be used if there is no sound or someone is deaf,” he said. Many people share Necker’s opinion as well. 

In fact, 67 percent of respondents to a Twitter poll said they don’t use subtitles. However, this means 33 percent of the respondents are poisoning their viewer experience. Senior Jimmy Feeney spoke of the prominent distraction subtitles create. “When you use subtitles, your eyes go directly toward the words instead of what’s actually on the screen,” he said. 

Another issue with subtitles is their inability to express inflection and emotion. Feeney also dislikes subtitles for this reason. “Subtitles also dilute the dialogue itself as all you pay attention to are the words they’re saying and not how they say it and the tone and pacing they use,” he said. If someone were to rely solely on subtitles, they would likely miss many moments of emotion. 

Admittedly, movies and television have become increasingly hard to hear when it comes to dialogue. Studios have become notorious for raising the volume of sound effects and music while keeping dialogue stagnant. However, audio engineers aren’t going to cover up important or plot-affecting words. Chances are that if someone can’t hear a line, they can assume what was said. If not, simply rewind or turn the volume up. 

When it comes to demolishing a cinematic experience, subtitles take the crown. “They ruin anything dependent on timing, like jokes or moments of tension. (Imagine reading ‘Luke, I am your father’ a half-second before hearing it),” wrote Wired magazine. Unless subtitles are absolutely necessary, like for entertainment in another language, they absolutely should not be used.