So, apparently you either love this film or hate it.

Rating: 7/10 (10 January 2010)

I'm in neither camp, though I lean toward liking it.
What I didn't like about it: Reviewers complaining that Tarantino has fallen in love with himself are to some extent correct. Excerpting Morricone's spaghetti western soundtracks for Kill Bill really worked; here it feels gratuitous and tacked-on. There are other elements (like the constant film-geek-friendly jokes on characters' names, cf. "Hugo Stiglitz") that create the impression that Tarantino feels the need to do this stuff now simply because it's come to be expected. And the inclusion of David Bowie in the film score is, from a director known for his uncanny talent with matching music to the visuals, a rare and aggravating misstep.
What was just middle of the road: (EDIT: I originally said here that the Nazis were expiring as a class of film villain. How quaint *that* sentiment looks in 2017. Turns out they're more relevant than ever, sadly.) If it was that easy to kill Hitler, one of the myriad assassination attempts from real history would probably have worked. Additionally and most problematically, it's not plausible for the Basterds to have had the track record they achieved behind German lines without any of them being able to speak German -- indeed, this whole premise clashes with a key factor that a major scene in the movie turns on. So, those are all flaws, albeit not film-sinking flaws.
What was great: Every single person who logged in here to complain about the "pointless" and "overlong" dialogue scenes has renounced, for all time, any right at all to criticize Tarantino's "taste" or timing or sense of the craft. What he knows and what you don't -- and the main reason this movie is garnering the positive reviews it is -- is how powerful a tool TENSION is. Basterds is replete with scenes that build and release tension absolutely masterfully; the opening interrogation scene is the best example, but far from the only one. Tarantino's extraordinary gift for dialogue and tension is what saves the movie from its admitted flaws. All that's required in order to appreciate this gift is an attention span.
He's also helped by some tremendous performances. Melanie Laurent and Christoph Waltz -- in a pair of superb performances -- have already gotten lots of well-earned attention. There's also great work from Fassbender and Diehl, and others besides. And yes, Brad Pitt -- the dozens of comments maligning him notwithstanding -- does an excellent job of establishing Aldo Raines as a shrewd and formidable character, for all that his Tennessee accent isn't authentic.
Overall and with its flaws taken into account, it's a fun and entertaining film, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.