After struggling to find an angle to define presidential contender Tim Pawlenty, pundits settled on the "placebo" candidate, citing his unassuming, even boring, nature. Maybe that's why he's decided to pull an all-out Michael Bay for his campaign ad blitz.

If you recall, the Republican released his first advertisement for his campaign in late January, inspiring fascinated observers to try and tally up how many action movie clichés he had fit into a one in a half minute clip. At the time, Talking Points Memo editor Josh Marshall humorously classified it as in the "'sci-fi-archival-footage-jet-fighter-heroic' genre, with perhaps an homage to Minority Report worked in."

Apparently Pawlenty's team liked the reaction. In response to President Obama's low-key, everybody-but-him reelection announcement, the former Minnesota governor's high-octane crew has released another Hollywood blockbuster-themed spectacular--complete with a soundtrack that appears ripped from The Dark Knight.

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Erik Hayden