Continuity mistake: Toward the end of the scene "Little Lotte," when Christine says, "No Raoul, wait," we see Raoul close the door and exit. Instantly after he shuts it we see the outside of the door, but Raoul is nowhere to be seen. There is no way that he could have already gone because there is no shot between the time when he closes the door and when we see the outside of her dressing room, where he should be at least for a second. We know that this is most certainly the outside of the door because we see the Phantom's hand and Madame Giry moments later.
Continuity mistake: During "Masquerade", during the shots with the people dancing on the stairs in unison with their fans, you can see Christine and Raoul smiling. Behind them is a man with a wig shaped as an afro next to a large plant. The next shot you see the couple, he is gone, then you see him again in the following shot of Christine and Raoul.
Continuity mistake: On the Opera House's rooftop, the lining of the Phantom's cape goes from light-coloured to black before and after he jumps on the statue. It has nothing to do with lighting, and his waistshirt proves it: much darker than the cape's original lining, it makes it obvious the cape's turned dark since the waistshirt looks paler against it. (01:15:55)
Continuity mistake: When Raul is being hanged, he has a booger under his nose. In the next shot, it's gone.
Continuity mistake: The Moment Raoul falls through the trapdoor in the stairs and into the water, you can see the grid (that's coming down later) already in the water. For the grid to come down and drown Raoul, he must have fallen through it. (01:53:35)
Continuity mistake: When Meg finds Christine in the room with all of the candles after her "Think Of Me" performance, she puts her hand on Christine's shoulder, then removes it. In the next shot from behind Christine, Meg proceeds to remove her hand again.
Answer: During "Point of No Return, " the Phantom shares a stage with the very vulnerable Christine. He is still masked, though it is a mask other than his trademark white face covering. The Phantom is well known as a murderer and an escape artist. This is the the equivalent of a hostage situation. To rush the stage might risk lives, and everyone in the know is proceeding with caution. During the song, we do get glimpses of police moving about, and Raoul and others looking concerned, subtly signaling one another and considering their next move. The stage crew seems confused. The dancers go on with the show. And law enforcement officers await the right moment to advance. It also gives us the opportunity to enjoy a dramatic musical number that rushing the stage would interrupt.
Michael Albert