sets things up for a sequel in the South China Sea
I wonder if that was what they were shooting for, by having this end the way it did. They were heading into the Spratly Islands, I think, or somewhere in that vicinity... maybe the Paracels (full disclosure: I had to check Wikipedia for their name). That whole area is so hotly contested... maybe they could do a sequel involving some kind of geopolitical intrigue with China. That could get interesting.
Or better yet, they could land on Skull Island, and Aaron Cross could battle King Kong's cousins and descendants.
For Grave Encounters... I'm Lance Preston.