There's a lot of pointless stuff and stuff that should have been cut and stuff that doesn't make sense in context, but overall it's not that bad of a movie.

I honestly couldn't figure out what the movie was trying to do with the Phantom and Raoul. The people in charge were clearly going for a sexy angle on the Phantom (casting Gerard Butler, toning down his deformity, putting him in tight outfits)...but then we got that shot of him smiling as he strangles a man. They went for an action-hero angle on Raoul...but kept cutting to the Phantom during his big love duet with Christine, making the scene about the Phantom and not Raoul and Christine.

Is the Phantom a dangerous killer, or is he a misunderstood guy who just needs love? Are we supposed to see Raoul as a noble young man who would do anything for the woman he loves, or are we supposed to be mad at him for getting in the Phantom's way? If they were trying make both options seem equally appealing, why did they do such a clumsy job of it? I don't know, and I don't think the movie does, either.

Someone didn't realize the Phantom's attraction is psychological rather than physical, hence the sexy Phantom. And now we have to deal with a horde of Raoul-hating fangirls. :P