You wrote:

“…95%+ of the time we are on the same page, the same paragraph, the same sentence on all matters related to writing a logline.? But this is an instance where I beg to differ…” – Agreed, and in MHO, partially why this forum is so interesting.

“…The mission of a logline is to get people to read the script…” – I disagree. The mission of a logline is to describe a plot – period.
The motive for a writer to clearly communicate the plot could be for any number of reasons – get a script read, sell a concept, attract an actor. Ultimately, yes, we need our scripts to get read but that normally comes about as a result of a successful pitch and a logline is a means to get the opportunity to pitch.

“…You can have a logline that perfectly conforms to the standard formula, but if it doesn?t have a story hook…”? – It means the concept is either flawed or not worth pursuing, either way, it’s not the structure of the logline that’s the problem rather the concept itself.

“… It?s so implicitly obvious what his objective goal is…” – Doesn’t mean it couldn’t/shouldn’t be clearly stated.

Ultimately, you can use whichever format you prefer to sell your concepts and try to get reads, but a logline (as this site professes…) requires the basic story elements stated in our beloved ‘Formula’ tab.

Years ago, I read the book War Games before seeing the film, so my take is based more on the novel (which the film follows rather closely). The computer at some point determines that the practice rounds it’s playing with the Mathew Broadrick character are real – that’s what I mean by self-aware, the computer decides to make the “game” real. This was the first, out of the ordinary event, that truly forced the MC to take action, more importantly, it was an event out of his control – all of these are the necessary requirements for a good inciting incident.
In contrast, his hacking into the computer is an event of his own doing, under his control, and entirely part of his hacker MO up to that point – it’s not out of the ordinary and certainly not specifically what forces him to take action.? Quite simply, this is not inciting anything but just another day in the life of a hacker.

Last thing, about his flaw, you’re right that he’s not naive – I stand corrected, in fact when I think about it, he’s arrogant. Being smart and computer savvy (a rarity in the eighties) he thought he had the right to break into any computer system he wants because he had the ability to do so – which means his arrogance lead him to almost bring about a nuclear war, not his smarts.