It answers all of your questions.

Rating: 9/10 (14 June 2012)

Does the phrase "Space Jockey" or "xenomorph" cause your spine to tinkle? Does it frustrate and mystify you like a mathematician trying to calculate PI? Then see this movie. No spoilers in this review, but this movie answers your questions. All of them. And they are satisfactory.
This movie is a thriller; it's a thriller because you sit on the edge of your seat waiting to see what will happen. At the same time, it's a thriller to all the fans because the fans have been waiting over 30 years to see the Space Jockey. It's a weird type of childish eagerness for something that's only tangentially related to the movie.
I was the target audience for this movie. I have been asking about that giant alien (the Space Jockey) for decades. I wanted to know what it was, where it came from, what did it have to do with the xenomorphs. There is Alien mythos, but it's not the "real" answer. Ridley Scott created both (with help from H.R. Giger and others) and Scott never gave us those answers. In fact, Scott only made things more intriguing by making comments over the years about how curious it is that no one ever explored the Space Jockey in the Alien sequels. Finally, finally, 30 plus years later, Scott helmed an Alien movie.
This movie is steeped in Alien mythos; meaning, if you're not the voracious fan that I am, or more importantly, if you're not really familiar with the movies or mythos, this movie might not be for you. This was made for the fans, and the fans should appreciate it. The movie doesn't bend over backwards to bring in new, unfamiliar viewers. It doesn't explain that it's a prequel, it doesn't explain Weyland Industries, and it might leave you behind if you don't know and understand that stuff. If you're not familiar, I'd suggest you go back and watch the 1979 film, Alien. Better yet, develop a time machine, go back to your childhood and watch Alien, let 20 or 30 years of anticipation build, then go see Prometheus.
The movie, aside from nostalgia and extremely delayed gratification, is good. The plot is a little tricky if you don't know the Alien universe, but it's still entertaining with some obvious twists, and some surprising turns. The movie is also rich with metaphors and gives the viewer a lot to dissect. The movie touches on the life cycle, the inevitable destructive nature of mankind, God, and the gift of life (and what happens when it's not God that bestows the gift of life). It gets pretty deep, but it's hard to focus on the metaphors when you can't wait for the next scene. This movie definitely takes more than one view to fully appreciate. It will go over the head of many, many movie goers.
The acting was... good. Michael Fassbender was both amazing and creepy as the android David. Charlize Theron and Idris Elba don't have a ton of screen time but both do a solid job of developing their character when they are on screen. Noomi Rapace, as the lead actress, spent the most time on screen, but was underwhelming. Her delivery was screechy and slightly annoying. I had bigger hopes for her based on the glowing reviews she got from the 2009 "The Girl..." movies based on the Stieg Larson novels. Logan Marshal-Green turns in an averageish performance as the supporting actor (to Fassbender as the lead).
The 3D and CG in this movie were very, very high end. Scott built some of the sets, but with all due credit to the set builders, there was no way to tell real from CG, and I guarantee the amazing dust storm was all CG. This is one of those movies that has a significant added benefit of 3D. In a side beside, even the biggest skeptic of 3D would be wowed at the impact.
The three biggest "reveals" (not to be confused with the best moments) in my movie going life were the birth of Darth Vader (even if you hated the movies, you had to get goose bumps when Dr. Frankenstein revealed Vader). The other two moments were both in this movie, the explanation of the Space Jockey and the revelation of the xenomorph.
Best case scenario, this movie turns into a trilogy (as Ridley Scott seems to want to make more) and all three movies are terrific. Worst case scenario, this movie is an immediate cult classic and will make tons of money for years to come in Blu-Ray sales and midnight showings.
Final thought... Predators could fit very neatly in this evolutionary tale.