It all makes sense now.

After seeing “Terminator Salvation” on Monday, I believe it was bound to happen. I’m referring to Christian Bale’s profanity-laced blow-up on the set of the movie, an audio recording of which spread like wildfire across the Web.

In case you missed it or don’t know the details, Bale, who stars as John Connor, went off on Shane Hurlbut, the film’s director of photography. Apparently, Hurlbut wanted to check a light while Bale was shooting an emotional seen and walked into the actor’s line of sight.

Big mistake.

Among the choice soundbites:

“What don’t you (expletive” understand?!? Bale demanded.

“I’m going to kick your (expletive) (expletive)!” he added.

If you’re not Bale or Hurlbut, listening to it is pretty entertaining. (Due to the, um, strong adult language, I won’t link to the rant, but you shouldn’t have much trouble finding it online. Kids, please don’t listen. And stay in school.
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Why do I say this confrontation was inevitable?

In the movie, Bale’s Connor is emotional in EVERY scene. If Bale’s Connor isn’t yelling, he’s staring someone down and thinking about yelling. Sure, Bale’s surely a hothead, but leaving that character behind between takes probably isn’t easy

As for the other, less guilty party, I’m pretty sure Hurlbut never met a lighting effect he didn’t like. In “Terminator Salvation,” it’s the exception when a strobe effect isn’t being used. Much of the action takes place in the darkness of night, although “darkness” is inaccurate because Hurlbut has light flooding in from here, there and everywhere. If I had to make a conservative estimate of how many lights where used to film the movie, I’d venture a gazillion.

It’s safe to say many actors would be annoyed if someone walked into their line of sight during an emotional scene, and he probably deserved a talking-to. But he certainly didn’t deserve Hurricane Christian.

“Terminator Salvation” hits theaters on Thursday. Look for my review that day or Friday in The News-Herald

-- Mark Meszoros