On the same weekend that The Dark Knight surpassed the original Star Wars as the second highest grossing film in United States box office history, the most recent Star Wars film, the animated Star Wars: Clone Wars, opened in third place to a disappointing $14.6 million. How is it possible that a film produced under the banner of the most recognizable brand in the cinema history––and with all the money in the world behind its promotion––barely outgross a throwaway Korean horror remake which opened on 800 fewer screens? It’s because Russia’s at war with Georgia, silly!

Well, sort of. The Guardian’s David Cox outlines a complex theory, beginning with Ronald Reagan’s appropriation of both the title of George Lucas’ franchise and the phrase “evil empire” in his 80s-era rhetoric against the Russians. Cox says that even though we’ve got another president with a “plan to plant anti-missile missiles in the very eye of the Russian Death Star,” a mix of public apathy for Bush’s Wars and Clone Wars overall suckiness has resulted in both the movie and public excitement over the political conflict generally falling flat. Excerpts after the jump; your own counterarguments are expected in the comments.

At the moment, the evil empire that Reagan originally identified appears to be reasserting itself. To some eyes, Princess Leia may seem once more to be pleading for armed aid, this time in the rather less lovely form of Mikheil Saakashvili. And, at such a moment, what should befall us? Nothing less than the fortuitous launch of yet another Lucas blockbuster, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, prefiguring yet another TV series…

So, will we now see a starry shot in the arm for renewed righteous struggle against a supposedly evil, resurgent antagonist? It doesn’t seem likely. Whatever impact The Clone Wars may be having on the critics (not much, apparently) or on the many fanatical fans of the franchise (seemingly not much more), its influence on the political climate seems destined to be zero.

Of course, recent experience has left the citizenry of the West understandably leery of conflict, whatever the claimed justice of the cause. Yet, the logic behind the Star Wars message hasn’t changed. It’s simply that, this time, it lacks the capacity to stir us. The reason doesn’t lie in the political climate; it’s to be found in the performance of the messenger.

The Star Wars prequel series was but an enfeebled shadow of the original trilogy. Nonetheless, Star Wars: The Clone Wars is far, far worse.