The Man Who Saves The World? - The Man, The Myth, The Mocha, and The (Extra)ordinary Prophecy
- Michael Ornelas
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
What does a prophecy look like? Would the heavens open up and deliver a divine sign, or would it manifest in something far more ordinary? When a prophecy unfolds in real time, is it centered on an extraordinary being, or could it involve someone refreshingly human? The Man Who Saves the World? dares to ask these questions as it follows Patrick McCollum, a man who believes he’s been chosen to unite the Indigenous tribes of the Amazon, and ultimately, the entire Americas… or has he?
Director Gabe Polsky (Red Army, In Search of Greatness) steps beyond the role of observer and becomes a character himself, the curious skeptic, representing the audience’s own uncertainty. Through his lens, we meet Patrick: a man whose life changed after a near-fatal motorcycle accident, during which he claims to have made a pact with God to serve as a messenger of peace and unity. Since then, Patrick has devoted his life to that mission, traveling the world, meeting with Indigenous and humanitarian leaders, and preaching harmony between people and nature.
Polsky’s hesitation is understandable. Patrick appears to have an ordinary nature about himself. He’s married, loves his 18-year-old dog, and brews himself a mocha cappuccino each morning in the half-finished house he built by hand. Yet, he’s also lived a life touched by the extraordinary. He’s been struck by lightning, claims to have witnessed UFOs, his house was victim to a missile strike that the military denies ever happened, and was close friends with the late Jane Goodall, who also appears in the film.
The film’s most powerful ideas come in thought provoking moments of reflection: “Everyone has an inner voice, we just don’t follow it,” and “Thought is universal,” are words spoken that leave a lasting impact. These simple yet profound statements anchor the film’s spiritual theme. Meanwhile, glimpses into Patrick’s marriage reveal an authentic, enduring love that humanizes him even more, a man guided by conviction but grounded by compassion.
This duality, the ordinary and the mystical, is the heart of Polsky’s documentary. While it’s easy to question Patrick’s claims, The Man Who Saves the World? finds genuine profundity in its quieter moments. Patrick's words, and more importantly, his actions, remind us that prophecies can be self-fulfilling, and that doesn’t make them any less meaningful.
The documentary builds toward its climax at a large gathering in Mexico known as the Kiva, where tribes from across the Americas unite in what Patrick believes is the fulfillment of his prophecy. It’s here that Polsky’s inner conflict intensifies. The event is not what he expected, and the film confronts uncomfortable yet necessary questions: Is Patrick a true messenger of peace, or is this the performance of a white savior complex? How do the Indigenous leaders themselves view his role in this prophecy? Polsky asks them directly and the answers, which I won’t spoil, provide a very relatable moment of aging, memory and humanity.
Regardless of one’s beliefs, Patrick McCollum is an undeniably fascinating subject. Whether or not his prophecy holds divine truth, his message feels urgent: humanity must come together to restore harmony with nature. As Polsky himself says, how we perceive Patrick and his story reveals more about who we are as individuals. Like the medicinal plants of the Amazon, The Man Who Saves the World? is both outwardly enlightening and deeply introspective, a mirror reflecting who we are, what we believe, and how we find meaning. As Jane Goodall beautifully states, “We are all a tapestry of humanity.” And as Patrick reminds us, each of us holds the power to bring peace and continue to fulfill the prophecy to save humanity.
I had the opportunity to sit down with Director Gabe Polsky and had an incredible conversation about faith, purpose and the mystical. See our full conversation below.
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