What is Top Gun: Maverick's IQ Score?

Top Gun: Maverick has an IQ Score of 129/200 on TV Intelligentsia's Intelligence Quotient framework, placing it in the Competent tier. The score breaks down to 41/50 Cognitive Stimulation, 12/50 Educational Value, and 47/50 Craft & Quality.

Is Top Gun: Maverick educational?

Top Gun: Maverick is low on educational value, 12/50 on TVI's rubric. Watch for entertainment, not for learning.

How does TV Intelligentsia calculate IQ Score?

TV Intelligentsia's IQ Score is calculated as round((Cognitive Stimulation × 0.4 + Educational Value × 0.35 + Craft & Quality × 0.25) × 4), scoring titles from 0 to 200 across five tiers: Masterclass (≥160), Stimulating (≥130), Competent (≥100), Passive (≥70), and Numbing (<70). The framework is published at tvintelligentsia.com/methodology/.

Top Gun: Maverick , IQ Score 129/200

Top Gun: Maverick has an IQ Score of 129/200 on TV Intelligentsia's Intelligence Quotient rubric, placing it in the Competent tier.

By Jordan Robinson, MPH·Updated 2026-06-06·Methodology

actiondrama

129/ 200

Competent

Engages without demanding much, watchable and reasonably crafted

Score Breakdown

Cognitive Stimulation/50

Educational Value/50

Craft & Quality/50

IQ = round((Cognitive × 0.4 + Educational × 0.35 + Craft × 0.25) × 4) · How we score →

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Why you should trust this score

Methodology reviewed by Jordan Robinson, MD, MPH

Physician scientist. Master of Public Health, with substantial coursework in research methodology. Reviews the rubric and its application across the adult catalog.

Methodology

Published rubric, v1.2

Formula

round(C × 0.40 + E × 0.35 + Q × 0.25) × 4

Database scale

2,324 titles, version-controlled

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The TVI Take

Kosinski's legacy sequel reunites Cruise with aviation spectacle through practical flying and generational mentorship, examining aging masculinity against technological obsolescence. The film's formal commitment to practical filmmaking and emotional vulnerability regarding mortality provide cognitive substance beneath action spectacle, while the aerial sequences and character reconciliation deliver extraordinary entertainment through technical mastery.

Where to Watch

Stream